The Quill Twins Volume 1
by Arwen the Storyteller
Summary: The Quill Twins Peter and Tina (a.k.a Star-Lord and Star-Lady) and their pet Guntrins: Orlins and Meredith must embark with new friends: Gamora, Drax, Groot and Groot to save the galaxy from Ronan the Accusar and his secret weapon: the Orb containing the Power Stone.
1. Quill Twins Born

**Peter and Tina Quill: **

In the state of Missouri in North American, a young pretty women named Meredith Quill lay in a hospital bed gasping for air and screaming for pain. She was dressed in a hospital dress and she was laying on a hospital bed.

Her waters had broken and she was about to give birth to the child of her lover Ego: a space man from Earth. She just wished he could be here to see him or her born.

Her father was clutching her hand and she was taking deep breaths in and out as a midwife was standing in front of her legs waiting to help the baby out.

"Okay, Meredith…" she said. "Now push!"

Meredith gave out a push as she clenched her teeth in pain.

"Again!" the midwife ordered. "Again!"

She gave another few pushes but it still gave her great pain. This process went on for what seemed like hours. Extremely long painful hours until the midwife suddenly said, "I can just about see the head! You're doing great! Just keep trying!"

Meredith did more painful pushes. "Almost there!" the midwife said reaching her hands out more forward to hold the baby once it was born.

Meredith was sweating a lot and she felt tired but she had to continue for her child. She did a few more pushes and after her final push, she heard crying from her new born child. She let a breath of relief.

"Congratulations, Meredith," the midwife said holding the new-born baby wrapped in a towel. "You've had a boy," she gave the boy to Meredith and she smiled at it as she held him in her arms. The new-born boy cooed a bit but still cried as his mother rocked him in her arms.

Her moment of relief was unexpectantly cut off by pain stirring up in her womb again and she cried out in pain.

"Meredith, what's wrong?" her father asked scared for his daughter.

The midwife instantly realised what it meant, "Well, Meredith, it looks you'll be a mother of twins," she moved in front of Meredith's legs and her womb again, "Okay, just keep breathing and pushing and it'll be the end, I promise,"

Meredith's father took her baby son from her arms and handed him to another midwife to examine and take care of while he clutched his daughter's hand again.

Meredith kept doing the same process for what seemed like hours again. She had to keep going for her new born son's twin brother or sister.

"Okay, I can see the head," the midwife said, "Just a few more pushes and it will be all over, I promise,"

Meredith's over-sweated face which boiled red nodded and with what strength she had left in her over-tired body, she closed her eyes tightly, clenched her teeth and pushed again with all her might.

When she did a final push, she heard crying again from under her hospital dress. She fell back onto the large pillow behind her bag with exhaustion.

The midwife held the twin baby in a towel in her arms again and handed it to a weak Meredith to see. "It's a girl," the midwife said, "You've given birth to a twin boy and girl,"

Meredith smiled but she had to give the baby girl back to the midwife so she could be examined.

Whilst waiting for her children to be returned to her, Meredith rested in a single room for her children. She washed herself and put on some normal clothes. She drank and ate some food.

She waited for a few hours whilst her father went back home to spread the good news to her mother, her brother and everyone in their family and all their friends.

After about two hours, the door to Meredith's single waiting room opened and she saw her baby son and daughter wrapped in blankets being carried by two midwifes. "Congratulations, Meredith, your new-born son and daughter are in perfect health,"

Meredith smiled and walked towards the midwives to collect her new-born son and daughter, luckily she was able to carry both of them.

She walked out of the hospital where she was greeted by her family and friends. They all gathered round to see her twin children.

They were so adorable.

"I shall the boy: Peter and the girl: Tina,"

Everyone approved of the name.

A while later after introducing her new-born children to their grandparents, their uncle, their aunt and her best friend, Meredith and her family were strolling back to their cars.

Her father decided to come with her in their car. They placed Peter inside a baby seat in the back whist Tina was held in her grandpa's arms in the front. Meredith didn't know she would be have twins so she would need to get another baby seat.

They drove to Meredith's house on the outskirts of Missouri.

They got out and walked inside her house before heading up to the baby room that Meredith had set up for them. She started looking for baby stuff to clean the twins with and then clothes. The baby clothes were blue for Peter and pink for Tina. She had gotten pink and blue baby clothes because she didn't know what gender baby she would be having. She wanted her birth to be surprising rather than have an ultrasound. Luckily, she ended up having twins.

An hour later after the babies were puffed, cleaned and then dressed. Meredith's mum came to pick up her husband and Meredith waved her parents goodbye whilst her children just playfully stared at their departing grandparents.

"You're both destined for great things, Peter and Tina, I feel it in my heart, my children," she hugged both her children to her chest and they cooed each other back.

They had become such a loving small family.

But what they didn't realise was that it wouldn't last forever.


	2. The Death of a Beloved Mother Captured

**The Death of a Beloved Mother – Captured by Ravangers: **

For the next seven and a half years, Peter and Tina grew. They were such an inseparable pair.

They would often spend their days playing in the park whilst their mother watched, stargazing at night-time or listening to the songs that their mother loved to share with them from her childhood.

It was so amazing.

But they always wondered who their dad was. Their mother told them that he was from the stars. This gave them no clue to who he actually was but still they always dreamed of a day of meeting him.

Peter had short blonde hair and blue eyes. Tina looked almost similar to him except her hair went below her shoulders. She would also often be seen wearing her mother's favourite necklace which was a red heart while her brother would often wear a watch that she used to wear a lot during her youth.

It was a bright Sunday.

They were outside playing in the park of Missouri that was only one road away from home. Their uncle was watching them whilst his sister was at home with their dad talking about her previous lover. In addition, she had feeling a bit ill recently so she decided she had to stay at home for a bit whilst some nurses came round to check on how to make her feel better. She had assured her son and daughter that she would be alright so that they wouldn't worry. It was so fun.

It was getting close to dark. "Time to head back, you two," their uncle said walking towards them.

"Aww but Teen and I want to play some more," Peter moaned. Peter called his twin by her surname most times.

"I'm afraid, it's getting dark," their uncle answered.

The Quill Twins sighed and they started walking back.

Near the gate when they were six steps ahead of their uncle, Tina whispered an idea to her brother. "How about a race, back home? It's only just nearby,"

"Let's do. Three, two, one Go!" Peter sped off.

"Hey, no fair!" Tina shouted running after him.

"Hey, you two slow down!" their uncle ordered. But they didn't listen and they were too fast.

The two raced each back to their house.

Peter made it first. "I win!" he goaded.

"That wasn't fair! You had a head start!" Tina moaned.

"Well, sorry but I'm bigger,"

Tina just huffed in annoyance.

"I'm sorry, Teen," Peter quickly apologised. "I'll never goad about myself again ever,"

"Promise?"

"Promise,"

Peter pulled in his sister into his arms and they hugged each other. "I love you so much, sis,"

"I love you, too Pete,"

The door noisily opened shocking them. They turned to see their grandpa coming out the house.

"Hey, grandpa," Peter greeted as he and his sister walked forward to say hello.

Their greeting smiles faded away as they saw that something was troubling him.

"Grandpa?" Tina asked.

"Pete, Tina…" their grandpa began looking down. "I'm afraid, your mother is going to be in hospital for a while. She's got brain cancer,"

"Brain cancer?" Peter asked. "Will she get better?"

"Maybe," Mr. Quill forced himself to answer.

"Maybe?!" Tina shrieked.

"Tina, not everyone in the world can recover from cancer," Mr. Quill explained gently taking her hand. "We can only hope that the doctor's treatments will save her,"

The twins' head hung down as if they had just been hanged at the gallows.

For three long months, they were under the care of their grandparents whilst their mother was in hospital.

But for so many weeks, they heard no good news. In fact, the cancer was getting worse for their mother.

At school, it had become worse. The bullies still often punched Peter and pulled Tina's hair.

It was one cold, dark evening. Peter and Tina sat in the hallway with their heads down. Peter listened to their mother's music on his mix-tape to the song, 'I'm not in Love'. Tina was listening to her mix-tape as well to 'Spirit in the Sky' whilst reading her favourite book: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Her mother often read that to her when she was little.

She loved the story of the four Pevensie children and how they saved the land of Narnia and its beautiful creatures from the White Witch.

Their grandpa came walking to them out of the room where Meredith had been in for the past few months. "Hey, Pete, Teen…" he addressed them gently by their nicknames. "Your mum wants to speak with you two,"

The two didn't move.

Their grandpa sighed and took their headphones of their heads making them turn. "Come on, Pete and Teen, take these fool things off,"

He also gently pulled the book out of Tina's hands.

As they slowly walked inside, Mr. Quill gently placed their items inside their rucksacks.

Everyone including Mrs. Quill (who held her dying daughter's right hand, their uncle, Meredith's best friend who sat on the bed) was crowded around her bed.

They had left Meredith gifts such as cards and flowers hoping that she would make it. But she wouldn't.

Mr. Quill guided Peter and Tina to Meredith's left side.

"Why have you two been fighting with the other kids again?" she asked gently noticing Peter's bruised eye and the smack mark on Tina's check.

The two shrugged their shoulders at their mother.

"Peter? Tina?"

"They killed a little frog that didn't do anything," Peter answered.

"They smushed it with a tick," Tina answered as well. "They had no right to kill an innocent creature,"

"You two are so like your daddy," Meredith said proud of them. "Pete, you even look like him. And Teen, you're so wise and compassionate like him. He was an angel composed out of pure light,"

"Meredith, you've got presents there for Peter and Tina, don't you?" her father asked noticing two small wrapped presents. One was red with dots and a blue ribbon. One was blue with a red ribbon.

"Of course," her daughter answered. "There,"

Her father took the gifts and placed them inside his grandchildren's' rucksacks. "I've got you both covered,"

"You both open them up when I'm gone okay?" she weakly asked her children.

They nodded whilst snuffling their noses.

"Your grandpa is going to take such good care of you two. Are least until your daddy comes back to get you two," she reassured them. After a moment of silence, she said, "Take my hand," she used the strength that remained within her to turn her left hand and open it to her children.

But Peter and Tina both turned away not being to bring up the courage to take their mother's hand.

"Peter?" Meredith asked weakly. "Tina?"

Her children still wouldn't move.

"Guys, come on," their grandpa attempted to encourage.

"Take my hand," their mother pleaded but right after that there was huge siren noise.

Both the twins turned and saw that their mother's eyes were closed and she was no longer moving. The heart-beat detector on her right showed very low readings.

"Mum?" Peter asked shocked.

"Mum, wake up!" Tina pleaded. They begged her to wake up but she was gone. They were dragged out the room by their grandpa and a nurse.

"Noooooooooooo!" they both screamed.

"Stay here you two please," their grandpa begged with tears. "Okay?"

He retreated back into the room full of heartbroken faces.

The two just stood there still with no one besides each other to have comfort over the loss of the most important person in their life.

The Twins ran out of the hospital in tears, they pushed the door open and ran into the misty green grass plain nearby. They collapsed on their knees and hugged each crying out very loudly, they had lost someone so important to them.

"No!" Peter cried.

"No!" Tina cried as well. "She's gone but she can't be!"

"It'll be okay," Peter sobbed hugging his sister.

A quick and sudden large ball of light shone on them. The crying twins looked up to see an extremely strange alien sort of a ship hovering above their heads. The wind being created from the continuous spinning engines on the wings blew in their faces as well as the surrounding trees.

A huge beam of light emerged from the front of the ship and shone of Peter and Tina. It started sucking them up into the air.

"Mum!" Tina and Peter screamed.

The next thing that happened, they were lifted up from the grass screaming. After that, their bums landed on a metal floor with a thud.

It was bright but then the atmosphere shut off and all they saw was dark. They still felt each other so they kept tight hold on each other never wanting to get separated. They had already lost their mother. They were not about to lose each other.

They both gasped and flinched all frightened at the hearing of voices. "What do you reckon we do with them?" a creepy voice asked. Its loud sound could be heard all around the twins.

"Let's eat them!" another voice echoed around the twins.

The twins both went hyperventilating fearing that they would be dinner.

The atmosphere lit up again and towering over their shoulders were alien like men staring down at them with their teeth grinning. They wore red uniforms with a yellow flame symbol and they were holding creepy weapons.

Pete kept his younger sister close to him, he kept his left arm tight around Tina's shoulders.

"I'm scared," Tina cried.

"I'll protect you," Peter sniffled with courage through his tears.

"Quiet!" one of the being surrounding them shouted. "Or we'll eat you a lot sooner!"

"Enough with the threats!" a new voice ordered loudly.

The ranting and shouting from the group of men halted and they turned towards a doorway. As did the twins.

Three shadows were walking towards them covered by steam coming out of the pipes nailed to the walls.

When the three figures came out of the steam, they revealed two blue-skinned aliens and a human-like being. The blue alien who led them had a bald head with a red metal-like, bright red eyes, blue bristles that blended in with his skin and wore darker ruby-brown robes and carried a golden, sharp arrow in a slot attached to his waist.

The other blue figure next to him looked similar to the leading one but had no bristles and had green eyes. He wore light brown robes and had electric whips attached to his waist and loads of bombs strapped across his chest.

The third one that looked like he was from Peter and Tina's planet had brown eyes, short brown hair with brown bristles and he wore a ruby-brown suit with black gloves.

The members of the crew stood aside to let their leader take a closer look. His eyes were focused directly on the Quill Twins. That made them feel so tense that they felt their hearts were as silent as statues.

"Who are you?" Tina blurted out extremely petrified with fear that consumed her.

"I'm Yondu Udonta," the man answered with his facial expression still showing. "And you two are?"

"I'm Peter," Peter anxiously answered.

"And I'm his twin, Tina," Tina answered with the same level of anxious emotions.


	3. Growing up

**Growing up: **

"Well, Peter and Tina, I can assure you two that you guys are in no trouble at all," Yondu assured.

His men started arguing with him again. "No! We wanna eat them!"

"Yeah, let us dine on…!"

"No, we are not eating them!" Yondu commanded. This only led to more protests from his crew.

"Enough!" the other blue skinned man shouted. "We are doing what my brother has commanded! No eating the kids!"

"But we wanna know the taste of Earth's species!" a large one who had long, brown shaggy hair tied in a pony-tail with a matching beard, yellow teeth and a wrinkled like pink body which was almost completely covered by his suit.

"No, Taserface!" Yondu shouted. "Warran is right. We are not eating the kids! And that's FINAL!" this comment made Taserface silence down.

Yondu kneeled down and peered into the scared eyes of Peter and Tina. "Come with me,"

He stood up on his feet; he noticed that Peter and Tina didn't move a muscle.

"If you both don't want to be food, I suggest you get a move on,"

Peter and Tina instantly stood up. Yondu turned and he led them to a small hold down some stairs that were underneath the pilot's seats of the ship. There were a few cushions that they could sit on.

Once he motioned inside, he spoke out, "Now you two sit comfortably for the time being and don't worry at all. My brother and I will make sure no one eats you,"

He disappeared out of sight and closed the door.

Once it was closed. He turned to his brother. "Keep an eye on them, brother,"

"Yes, Yondu," Warran answered.

Yondu went to the pilot's seat and pressed a lever and the ship blasted off out of Missouri. Far into space it went. Further and further, it flew away from Earth.

During their time in the hold, the Quill Twins and cried and cried. First they lost their mother. Now they had been abducted by aliens and were being taken from their home and their family. They eventually fell asleep.

A few hours past and the small ship came to an enormous, ginormous headquarter ship. It went inside a small slot and landed in a giant room for of ships similar to the one that carried Yondu, Warran, a dozen of the crew members and their passengers.

"Wake up!"

The twins jolted awake due the sound of both the Udonta brothers' shouts.

"We're here now get a move on!" Yondu ordered.

Peter and Tina scrambled on their feet and followed him out of the ship. Warran and Kraglin were behind them standing and walking between them and the Ravangers that came with him.

As they walked cautiously down hundreds of corridors and passed by hundreds of rooms with computers and weapons and clothes etc. they were met with hundreds of more scary Ravanger faces. They were licking their lips and munching their teeth just waiting to taste the flavour of human. Peter and Tina held each other's hands tightly not wanting to lose each other.

Yondu kept reminding them on every turn, "They are not dinner!"

Protest became more annoying to Yondu but he was used to them. Nearly everyone on the ship was following behind Warran and Kraglin.

"We want Terran!" they continuously shouted referring to human species by the name commonly used for them throughout the galaxy.

Yondu had finally had enough. He turned round to face his entire crew to make his word clear and precise. He ushered Warran to take Peter and Tina away.

They disappeared around a corner.

"Where are you taking us?" Peter asked display childish fear.

"Just keep moving," Warran gently ordered. They came to an oval-shaped rusty door. Warran opened it after unlocking with a code.

"In you go," he gestured them inside.

The twins went inside and an unusual room was laid before them just waiting to be used. There was a huge glass window displaying the wonders of space awaiting outside. Two beds with furry blankets and pillows with two matching beside tables where a lamp rested on each other. A big-sized metal wardrobe stood with metal drawers against the side.

"So this is where you guys will be sleeping," Warran said after ushering the twins in.

"We wanna go home," Tina moaned.

"Sorry, kid but this is your home," Warran rebuffed her claims. "Besides you guys are being taken to your dad,"

"Our dad?" Peter asked.

"Yes. He sent us to pick you two up. Now you two wait here,"

He closed and locked the door leaving the twins all alone. They felt like prisoners but in a comfy cell.

Warran went to the captain's headquarters where he eyed his brother sitting on his bed.

"Well, brother are they in?" Yondu asked sensing his presence.

"Yes, Yondu," Warran answered. He came and sat down beside his brother. His brother didn't tell him to get off the bed. Yondu respected Warran more than anyone of his crew due to him being his brother as well as his second in command. "Yondu, I know we talked about this before we came and got the kids but are you sure there weren't be any harm done to us should Ego learn our reasons for not bringing them,"

"Warran, no harm will come to us. You know we cannot take them to their father. You've seen what he has done to his other kids,"

"You're right, Yondu," Warran agreed. "But we can't just keep them here. Not when they have a family back on Earth,"

"Warran…we are keeping them," Yondu proclaimed. "We will raise them to be thieves just like us. But we will not tell them, the reason we won't take them to their father. We will instead say that they are tiny goods kids that are good for thieving,"

"Alright, brother but they will need to find out the truth soon enough when they're older,"

"We'll tell them one day – but not when they're kids,"

Peter and Tina were busy observing the magnificent view of space outside. The door to their room gently opened but they wanted to take no notice of their captors.

"Peter, Tina…" Yondu's voice made them turn to him. "You two are going to be staying with us,"

"Yondu's decided that you two are little kids, good for thieving," Warran lied going along with his brother's decision. "So be prepared to be trained to be like us and the Ravangers,"

They left the twins inside their shared room. The twins were shocked that they wouldn't be taken to their father.

"I'm scared of what will happen in the future," Tina said afraid as she clutched her knees tight together.

"I'm scared too, Teen," Peter admitted sitting beside her. "But no matter what happens, we still have each other, okay?"

"Okay,"

The two twins just looked out into space wondering and fearing about what the future would bring. "Do you think we'll ever meet our dad?" Tina asked.

Peter didn't say anything. He was just quiet.

* * *

During three years after that day, the Quill Twins had begun to live their lives being raised by Ravangers. They kind of enjoyed their new shared room with the big lookout window of space. They would often listen to their music whilst thinking about their mother. Peter never went to bed without their mother's watch. Tina did the same with her necklace. They could not lose those two items that belonged to their mother.

After those three years, the twins at age 10 were trained by the Ravangers to become warriors and thieves. They were taught combat, how to fire with weapons called Quadblasters that could shoot orange energy blasts to kill or destroy and electric blasts to electrocute, how to sneak in and out without being detected and how to pilot a ship which they called the Milano.

Yondu and Warran admired the Quills. As did Kraglin very slightly.

Although he always threatened them that he would eat them, Yondu sort of acted like a stubborn father to the twins.

Warran was sort of like a stubborn uncle and guardian to them. He always made sure that they weren't in any trouble with any of the Ravangers.

The others however were very abusive towards them sometimes. Mainly Taserface who took whatever chance he got to make them trip or punch them. However every warning he had from Yondu or Warran got him one step closer to being disbanded.

One day when the twins were twelve, they were having a walk around the ship's corridors. They noticed Taserface cruelly hitting two innocent creatures who were so weak to do anything.

There was a small indigo ferret with yellow claws, teeth and eyes along with two small horns on its head and furry tail with a yellow claw on the end that resembled that of a scorpion. The other creature was a small ferret-sized red fox with golden claws, matching eyes and a bushy tail.

"How dare that Taserface does that?" Peter ranted as his eyes fumed in anger.

"What do you say we teach him a lesson?" Tina asked ready to teach that bully a lesson.

Peter nodded.

"Hey! Don't treat those creatures so abusively, they obviously hate it!" Peter shouted as he and his sister stomped towards Taserface who turned towards them. Quick as he could, Peter kicked Taserface.

Whilst he was distracted by the pain of that powerful kick from an angry 10 year old boy, Tina went in his face: "Just because you're big, doesn't mean you can bully little things, you beast!" she kicked Taserface in the knee cap and it hurt him so much. It gave the two little creatures little time to weakly escape into a small tight space between some pipes. They could go no further.

Taserface heard them run away and he growled turning round to try and catch time; he didn't see where they went.

"Why you Dumb Twins!" he grabbed them by their collars and threw them to the side of the wall. It really hurt them.

Before he could lash at them again, Warran shouted, "Stop!"

Taserface halted and backed down.

"This is the 100th time! No touching them!" Warran berated.

"Or what? You're not the captain! Besides they let my pet Guntrins get away!"

"But I am!" Yondu's voice made Taserface silence as he spotted him. He glared darkly at them as he marched slowly in front of him. "You lay one finger on them again and I'll toss you out into space. Those Guntrins will not be yours to keep anyone! Are we clear?" Yondu sharply poked his finger into his crew member's face.

Taserface growled and stomped away.

Warran kneeled in front of the small space that the two creatures had scurried into. He saw they were lying down. He gently picked them up.

Yondu crouched in front of Peter and Tina. "Are you two okay?"

Peter and Tina nodded. Some tears were spilling down their faces as they felt incredible hurt from what Taserface did to them.

"Since you two saved those creatures, they are yours to keep instead of Taserface's," Yondu said.

Warran held out the creatures to Peter and Tina. They looked each other and after a brief while they nodded and gently took them into their hand. The creatures' eyes opened but they couldn't toss or turn in their hands. They were so hurt and tired.

"But remember one hearing about trouble being made by them and they're food for my crew members," Yondu warned. "Got it?"

Peter and Tina nodded quicker.

Warran escorted Peter and Tina back to their room and closed the door. Peter and Tina laid the Guntrins on some pillows and placed a small blanket over them. A while later after Warran had delivered the twins some meat for dinner, the small creatures' eyes started opening and they saw Peter and Tina nearby. Although they knew it was they who shouted at Taserface to stop hitting them giving them time to get away from, they were scared so that they snarled snarling at them.

"It's okay," Peter attempted to calm them down.

"We won't harm you," Tina assured. "Here are you hungry?" she and her older twin held out a few pieces of meat in front of the creatures.

The creatures sniffed them and instantly snatched them from their finger tips and chomped on them.

"Wow, you guys are really hungry," Tina said surprised.

The creatures after a big burp looked at them with puppy eyes. They wanted more.

A moment later, all of the twins' dinners had been munched by the Guntrins. The Quill Twins didn't mind. They weren't really hungry anyway. In addition, they had given the Guntrins some cold water.

After a little lie down after so much food and water, the Guntrins noticed that Peter and Tina were nearby listening to music.

They stepped with light steps over to them. The blue indigo one to Tina and the red one to Peter. They jumped into their laps and the twins started stroking them.

"I think I'll call you Orlins," Tina said to the indigo one. Orlins loved his new named and started nuzzling her.

"And I'll call you Meredith, after our mother," Peter said to the red one. Meredith loved her new name and she curled up near his shoulder.

From that day forward, Orlins and Meredith stayed by the twins' side in gratitude for saving them from the abusing of that horrible Taserface. They were always seen wrapped around their necks on their shoulders like living scarfs and when the Quill Twins were asleep, they snuggled into their chests like teddy bears.

In free time, the Quill Twins would play with their new companions. They would also watching them display their new abilities. Orlins and Meredith could change size from being small to being big. They could also camouflage into their surroundings so it was often very difficult to find them when playing hide and seek.

About five years later, Peter and Tina were given Ravanger uniforms. While Peter got a red Ravanger jacket and pants, Tina got a blue Ravanger Jacket and pants since she was the only female member of the Ravangers.

Soon they were allowed to keep their Quadblasters to leather holders on the sides of their trousers. They were also gifted with knap-sacks and other equipment such as bombs, taser lines and light balls which could be used as lights in the dark and bombs once they're activated by rolling at enemies. The two were finally allowed to keep the Milano and they would go on also sorts of adventures in it. And also do stealing with it across the galaxy.

Where they stole, they were known as Star Lord and Star Lady (the nicknames given to them by their deceased mother).

For 26 years, their lives became pleasant and sort of well. But they missed their mother so much as well as their previous life back on Earth. They had never opened the gifts that their mother had left them. Their state of missing her as well as longing for her made them not want to open them.

It would make them remember the horrible, unforgettable night that she was taken from them.

What they didn't know was that their lives were about to change.


	4. The Mysterious Orb on Morag

**The Mysterious Orb on Planet Morag:**

When Peter and Tina had both turned between 33 and 34, it had been 26 years since they were taken from Earth.

Those long, lingering years had been alright for them; they could never more on from their mother's death nor open the gifts she left for them.

On the abandoned planet of Morag, they landed their ship the Milano on a cliff of a grey wasteland covered by jagged mountains and no sign of any possible life. It was boring with rain and it was soggy and muddy everywhere.

They exited their shared ship with Meredith and Orlins (both small-sized) resting on their shoulders. They were wearing lengthy, long-sleeved, leather coats of indigo or red and a metal space helmet activated around their heads. Peter's space mask had red glowing eyes whilst Tina's had indigo glowing. In addition, the two had knapsacks of the same colours hung across their breasts and their quadblasters and Walkman's strapped to their belts. They had blasters that could make them fly strapped to their black boots and orange leather gloves. They still wore their mother's watch and necklace.

They stomped and swaddled through the muddy grounds of the planet heading towards a large abandoned building on the other side of the section of the land where they landed.

Peter took out a strange device. "You sure it'll work well, sis?" he asked his sister.

"Of course, I worked on it for months before inventing it," Tina answered.

"Well, let's give it a try," Peter pressed the black button and it activated it. It gave out a wide blue spectrum to scan life that had been present years before on Morag.

It showed images of people that had lived there and what the ruins actually were before they crumbled and crippled to their present state. Even a little girl playing with a dog.

"Wow. It worked!" he said amused. Meredith cooed happily. As did Orlins on Tina's shoulder.

"Told ya," she stated.

They continued walking on further to the ruins and the spectrum then showed them a small yellow orb that presented the item that they had come to Morag for.

"Look sis, our prize is just waiting in there for us to get it,"

"Then let's go get it bro,"

Orlins and Meredith gave out a small soft roar in agreement. Though they couldn't talk, their Terran companions could understand them.

They continued on and walked into the ruins. Once they were inside free from the drizzled rain, Peter switched off his sister's invention and placed it back in his knapsack.

He and Tina then pressed a button on the side of their space mask and they deactivated and allowed their faces into the fresh air again. They turned back in small black devices clinging to the Quill Twin's ears.

The two took a deep breath in and out as they felt their faces touch the air again. They had surely grown over the years. Peter's hair had grown very slightly from what it was when he was little but he always brushed it back. Tina's hair grew up to mid length and she would often wear it back in a ponytail.

"Time for some music," Peter ended their small silence.

"It's your Walkman's turn," Tina reminded him.

Peter unplugged his headphones from his Walkman and placed them in his knapsack. He then pressed the 'play' button on his still –strapped Walkman and it began to play "Come and Get your Love", one of their favourite upbeat songs.

He and his sister started boogying about whilst Orlins and Meredith startled danced around on their owners' heads and shoulders. They loved their music and could listen to it all the time. Whilst the four were boogying, they continued moving on through the ruins in a dancing way to the section where the object they had come for was just waiting to be taken out.

Peter and Tina were dancing round and round in circles holding each other's' hands.

In addition, they kicked tiny creatures called Orlones when they tried to bite them. Peter grabbed one and went "Heyyy!" very quietly in its face to one of the long words of the song.

Tina made an old skeleton dance around before she and her brother holding hands went sliding on their feet down a mud path.

They came to a thin but deep casum where strange and large alien fish were swimming in.

Tina and Peter pressed a controller attacked their left wrists and the blaster attached to their ankles activated and they flew to the other side.

They finally come to a large vault door. Taking out a strange small tool, Tina unlocked the door by tampering with its lock and it slowly opened sideways.

It revealed a large, empty room. It was quite dark so Peter took out an sphere and with a little shake, it glowed and lit up the room. On the other side was what they came for. A small, metallic orb held inside a spinning, purple-laser cage.

The song ended.

"Let's just take that orb out of its cage and get out of here. This place gives me the creeps," Tina kneeled down with Orlins jumping off her shoulder.

"Are you scared?" Peter asked sarcastically.

"No," Tina turned to her brother with a 'really?' expression on her face when she was in the middle of searching for another tool. "I'm just not fond of places like this,"

"That's what you say and that what happens later, you're scared," Peter gleefully teased.

"Oh, ha, ha," Tina responded with annoying sarcasm. She took out a triangle shaped device and placed it on the floor. It was another invention of hers: a gravity puller. She pressed a button and it activated realising a strong, invisible force that made the orb in its cage push against the side to try and zoom to what it was attracted to.

It broke through and touched the gravity puller.

"Ha, ha! Well done, sis!" Peter congratulated her with a high five. Meredith jumped down from his shoulder and pulled the orb off the device with her teeth. She jumped back on Peter's shoulder aside from Orlins going back on Tina's and she placed the device back in her knapsack.

"Drop it!" a voice made them jolt round.

They turned to the entrance and see a dark brown man with light blue eyes, a very short grey beard and metal on the side of his head wearing metal armour pointing a gun at them.

He wasn't alone. Two full-armoured comrades with helmets were with him. They had guns too.

"I said drop it!" he ordered at Meredith.

"Hey, okay. Okay. Okay," Peter gently took the orb from his Guntrin's mouth facially telling her to let go so they wouldn't be shot at. "Here it's all yours," he dropped the orb and it rolled to the strange.

He noticed the look his sister and Orlins gave. "What?"

"Nice going," Tina said mad at him as they were forced to hold their hands up.

"How do you two and your pets know about this?" the stranger demanded picking the orb up.

"Okay, first of all, our Guntrins aren't our pets," Tina responded. "They're our companions!"

"I don't care what you say, miss. Answer my question," the man demanded.

"Okay, to answers. We don't even know what it is," Peter lied. "We're just Junkers,"

"That's right," Tina played along. "We're just looking for stuff to tamper and build things with,"

"You two don't look like Junkers," the man disbelieved them. "You're both wearing Ravanger garbs,"

"They're just outfits," Peter lied again. But he became angry seeing one of the stranger's comrades poking his sister hardly with his gun.

"Hey, you'd better stop poking my sister, Ninja Turtle," Peter warned.

"What are your names?!" the strange shouted loudly.

"Our names are Peter and Tina Quill and our Guntrins are Meredith and Orlins," Peter quickly answered. "Dude, chill out!"

"Move!" the stranger ordered. "And Guntrins don't change size or anything or we'll shoot your owners,"

"Why?" Tina demanded. "Why do we have to come with you?"

"Ronan may have questions for you and your brother," the strange turned to leave but Peter added something else in.

"There's also two names you might know us by,"

The strange turned and asked, "What?"

"Star Lord and Star Lady," Tina answered after a brief second.

"Who?" the strange asked confused.

"Star Lord and Star Lady. Man," Peter answered back for his sister. "Legendary outlaws,"

"Move!" the stranger ordered again.

"You know what forget it," Tina kicked her light ball backwards and the two henchman of the stranger disintegrated once it came into contact with them.

The stranger with their prize turned but all he saw was Orlins charging at him from Tina's shoulders. He changed from small-sized to big-sized and pounced on Korath striking him across the face with his claws.

He ravelled in pain. This gave Orlins the chance to grab the orb with his teeth and run back to Tina whilst changed back to small-sized again.

"Time to go, sis!" Peter took out his quadblasters and blasted a large hole in the wall. He and his sister reactivated their helmets and blasted out through the hole with their blasters. They landed back on the ground due its low power and started running for their lives back to the ship.

They heard the angry alien strange behind them. And he was gaining on them.

He had a higher stamina so he was closing in one them.

"He's too fast!" Peter alerted.

Meredith jumped off his shoulders and changed from small sized to giant sized.

The Quill Twins instantly knew her idea. They jumped onto her back and she went sprinting on her four legs towards the ship. Meredith was much faster than the stranger. He yelled out in anger at being outrun by that Guntrin.

Meredith's eyes widened when she saw more of those strangers near the Milano. Once she was near them, she did a giant leap over them.

Peter and Tina on her back shot the strangers down below them dead. Once they were over them and in front of the ship, they leaped off Meredith (who changed back to her normal size and leaped into Peter's arms) and dashed inside the ship.

"Hurry, Peter! We gotta start the engines!"

Peter and Tina quickly sat in their seats and started the engines. The spinning engines in the sides of the Milano's wings made it rise up.

Peter's eyes widened when he saw the strange and his men about to blast at their ship with a giant blaster.

"Tina!"

Tina quickly pulled a lever that made the Milano turn to not get blasted by the green blast of energy and when they had the chance, they took off flying in another direction.

The Guntrins started laughing in their small seats seating near their owners.

Just when the group's luck had started, a huge sperm of water erupted out of the ground and it made the Milano shoot up in the air and make it go spinning round and round and round like a flying, spinning dice.

The Twins were flung off the seats due them not putting on their seat belts. The Guntrins did as well but Orlins managed to hook his tail around the head part of the seat.

The Milano was 3000 feet up started plummeting to the ground below.

"Ahh!" Tina screamed feeling sick. "We're goanna die!"

Orlins struggled to climb forward with his claws and get to the lever. But with huge courage, he jumped and pulled the lever with his paw and the Milano hovered in mid-air just as it was about to crash.

The Quill Twins and Meredith landed on the floor with a bang.

"Is everyone all right?" Tina asked dizzy.

"Yep," her brother asked feeling dizzy as well. "Meredith, are you alright?" he asked his dizzy and worn out Guntrin.

Tina saw Orlins on the lever and smiled. "Well done, Orlins!" she complimented picking him up and kissing him on the head.

"Yes, well done!" Peter congratulated as well. "You saved us!"

"Now, let's just go before another spout makes us fly up," Tina suggested not wanting to go through the same process again.

"Or when another stranger tries to kill us," Peter added in.

They piloted the Milano out of Morag's atmosphere and into space.


	5. A Maniac Kree and the Children of Thanos

**A Maniac Kree and the Children of Thanos: **

They started playing 'Go all the Way' on their big music player.

They took off their long coats and just dressed up in their normal clothing. Peter wore a red leather jilay, with a blue shirt, brown trousers and black boots. Tina wore a blue leather cardigan, a red shirt with flowers, black leggings and brown boots.

At the moment they were listening to news about two races: the Kree and the Xandarians who had been are war with each other years and had recently made a peace treaty.

Meredith and Orlins were both eating meat on the table. Meredith noticed screen dialling.

Peter saw Yondu's picture and realised he was trying to dial him.

"No, Meredith, don't…"

Meredith curiously touched the screen and Yondu's face appeared on the big screen.

"Quill Twins…"

"Hey Yondu," they both greeted looking at him through the screen.

"I'm here on Morag. Ain't no Orb, ain't no you two or your Guntrins,"

"Well, we were in the neighbourhood," Peter answered. "We thought we'd save you the hassle,"

"Well, where are you two now?"

"Hate, to break it to you, Yondu but – we ain't telling you," Tina simply said crossing her arms.

"I slaved putting this deal together…" Yondu started yelling.

"Slaved? Making a few deals is slaved?" Peter interrupted.

"And now you're both goanna rip me off?!"

"I mean really?" Peter asked.

"We do not do that to each other. We're Ravangers, we got a code," Yondu reminded them sternly

"Yeah and that code is: 'steal from everybody'" Tina answered. "It obviously means stealing from each other,"

"When I picked you two up…" Yondu began reminding them of that annoying story which made both Peter and Tina mutter: 'pick us up'

"…these boys of mine wanted to eat you two," Yondu continued. "They ain't never tasted any Terran before. Both Warran and I stopped 'em. You two are alive because of me and Warran. We will find you…we will….."

But the Quill Twins had, had enough so they rudely ended the called and pressed off.

* * *

Yondu was angry back on Morag.

"Put a bounty on them! Forty K!" Yondu ordered to Kraglin. "But I want them back alive! The Guntrins can be dead or alive or not given back, I don't care!"

"Yes, Cap," Kraglin answered.

"Alive!" one of the other Ravangers shouted.

"You heard what my brother said!" Warran shouted.

"I told you guys when we picked those kids up, we should have delivered them to their father like you and your brother were hired to do," the Ravanger shouted at Yondu. "They were cargo! You've always been soft on them!"

Warran grabbed his collar. "It is you that my brother is being soft on! Be very careful with your words next time who I'll kill you," he threatened.

"Don't any of you worry about those Quill Twins," Yondu assured earning a sort of confused look from his brother. "Once we get them back, I'm goanna kill them myself. What we need to worry about is who out there wants that orb,"

"Or else out there would want that orb?" Warran asked.

* * *

Deep in the outreaches of the galaxy, an enormous ship called the Dark Aster hovered still.

Its commander and captain, a huge blue figure with black armour all over and daring, evil purple eyes wielding a tall and heavy war hammer was torturing a Xanderian prisoner.

"They call me 'terrorist,' 'radical', zealot' because I obey the ancient laws of my people: the Kree and punished those who do not," Ronan's cold-hearted voice said to a captive Xandarian. He had always hated Xandar because of the killings they had done his family in the past. "For I do not forgive your people for taking the life of my father and his father and his father before him. A thousand years of war between us will not be forgotten!"

"You can't do this!" the prisoner pleaded loudly being held in chains. "Our governors signed a peace treaty,"

"My government knows no shame," Ronan argued back believing he could just kill whoever he wanted. "You Xandarians and your culture are a disease,"

"You will never Xandar," the prisoner sneered.

"No," Ronan agreed. "I will cure it!" with giant hit, he killed the prisoner with his hammer.

He watched as its blood flowed outwards across the floor. He was amused with how he killed for pleasure.

A figure with blue skin, a metal robotically armour, a bald head and black eyes wearing a tight purple suit approached him. "Ronan…" Nebula greeted. "Korath has returned,"

Ronan walked whilst being followed by Nebula to his throne room. He walked to his giant throne and sat down. A few feet away from Ronan's giant throne of stone were four Kree people controlling the engines of the Dark Aster whilst sitting on seats.

Nebula stood nearby whilst two other figures stood on Ronan's other side. There was a green woman who was the last of the Zehoberei species with black hair with ruby tips and brown eyes wearing black and silver clothing named Gamora.

Beside her was Vamos, a large purple figure with blue eyes wearing gold armour. He was the biological son of the mad titan: Thanos whilst Gamora and Nebula were the adoptive daughters of Thanos making them his adoptive sisters.

Korath entered the room and greeted his master. "Master…my quest to reclaim the orb for you failed,"

"What?!" Ronan shouted.

"The orb was stolen by two figures and their two Guntrins,"

"What are they?"

"They are thieves. Outlaws who call themselves Star Lord and Star Lady," Korath answered. "But we have discovered they have agreed to retrieve the rob for an intermediary known as The Broker,"

"Ronan…" Vamos addressed him making him turn to him. "You promised my father you would retrieve the Orb for him, only then will he destroy Xandar for you," he reminded. "But be warned he has very little patience,"

"I shall not let your father wait longer," Ronan promised trying to rid himself of Vamos's prying, glaring eyes.

"Nebula, go to Xandar, kill those outlaws before they give the orb away and bring it to me,"

"It will be my honour," Nebula proudly stated stepping forward.

"It will be your doom," Gamora stepped forward against her sister. "If this happens again, you'll be facing our father without his prize,"

"I am a daughter of Thanos. Just like you," Nebula reminded her.

"But I know Xandar," Gamora stated.

"Ronan has already decreed that I'll…" Nebula started to argue back.

"Do not speak for me," Ronan interrupted quickly changing his mind. He walked close to Gamora. "You will not fail me,"

"Have I ever?" Gamora asked expecting a no from Ronan. "I will not fail you, Ronan,"

Gamora set out in a necrocraft towards Xandar to get the orb. As Ronan, Nebula, Korath and Vamos eyed her flying away, Vamos was holding suspecting eyes. He suspected Gamora was up to something when she had stepped forward to get to the orb and not let their sister get it.

He couldn't tell Ronan his suspicions. He wouldn't believe him. He just decided to keep an eye on Gamora once she returned.


	6. Xandar

**Xandar – Apprehended by the Nova Corp:**

Peter, Tina and their Guntrins journeyed to the planet of Xandar: Capital of the Nova Expire. It was basically a completely blue planet of water with only an extremely large country in the shape of an enormous star with loads of points.

The star shape was technically the symbol of the Nova Corp.

Peter and Tina and their Guntrins parked their ship somewhere and started walking into the city square to see the Broker.

In the city square near a fountain was a racoon wearing an orange leather jumpsuit with a gun strapped to his back called Rocket and his partner and best friend: an alien-tree like creature called Groot.

"Xandarians," Rocket mocked. "What a bunch of losers. All of them in a big hurry to get from something stupid to nothing at all. Pathetic," Rocket had a strange device that was scanning everyone he could see. The machine gave him their biographies, their species, if they were criminals or not etc.

"Can you believe they call us criminals, when's he's assaulting us with that haircut?" he asked Groot as he eyed a strange person with a weird, platinum-blond hair cut. He next spotted a little kid. "What is this thing? Look it thinks it's so cool," he saw the parent of the kid take its hand. "It's not cool to get help! Walk by yourself, you little gargoyle,"

Groot frowned at him for saying mean things like that to a kid.

Rocket eyed an elderly man up do on the walkways talking to a nice woman with long brunette hair. "Look at Mr Smiles over here. Where's your wife, old man? What a class-A pervert,"

Rocket cackled out a fake laugh. "Right Groot?"

Groot didn't answer. He was just drinking from the fountain as if it was an actual water fountain to drink from.

"Don't drink fountain water, you idiot," he ordered. "That's disgusting!"

Groot went, "MMM!" and shook his head.

"Yes, you did," Rocket answered back. "I just saw you doing it. Why are you lying?"

His device started electronically beeping. He held it to identify what it had tracked. "Looks like we got one,"

The device zoomed further in to help him get a clear look on what it had spotted on the walkway. It detected two twins and their Guntrins.

"Okay, let's see," Rocket began to read the information it was showing. "Twins Peter and Tina Quill. Fugitives. Wanted alive. By Yondu Udonta. Guntrins: Alive or dead," the bounty money displayed: 40,000 units? Groot we're goanna be rich!"

He heard gurgling and frowned at seeing Groot drink from the fountain again.

"Groot, come on! We've gotta get those twins, get those bounties and be sure get rid of those…"

Rocket didn't get to finish what he was saying. When he looked up, his eyes widened at the sight of the red creature resting on Peter Quill's shoulder. It was beautiful. The most beautiful creature he had ever seen.

Groot noticed how he was.

"I am Groot?" he asked trying to break his friends out of his foots. "I am Groot?"

"That creature is beautiful! IT's amazing! It's mine!" Rocket cheered. "We can kill that ugly blue one but the red one is MINE!"

Peter and Tina had walked for ages along the walkways.

"This is crazy. Coming here," Tina said to her brother. "We're goanna get caught before we make it back,"

"We're not goanna get caught," Peter assured.

"That's what you say. And then what happens later we do get caught," Tina argued.

"Oh, come on sis. You worry too much,"

"Uh, no. I think I worry the exact amount,"

They came to a metal like hut that was round and the metal barrier designed to keep any uninvited guests out, slide up allowing them in.

They walked inside a huge room where there were glass cages containing loads of cool artefacts on the sides. In the centre at the end, was a peach, wrinkled alien standing in front of his glass desk.

He noticed the Quill Twins. "Mr and Miss Quill,"

"Broker," they both greeted back.

"We got what you wanted," Tina took out the Orb from her knapsack.

"The Orb," Peter finished for her. It was like they could read each other's minds so they would finish each other's conversations all the time. That was one strong thing about their sibling love for each other. "As commission,"

Tina placed it down.

"Where's Yondu?" The Broker asked. "And his brother: Warran?"

"Oh, they couldn't make it," Tina fibbed.

"Wanted to be here. They send their love," Peter fibbed as well. "And they wanted us to tell you that you got the best eyebrows in the business. Right guys?" he asked that question to Meredith and Orlins.

They gave out small roars in acknowledgement.

"What exactly is this Orb?" Tina asked.

"It's my policy never to discuss my clients or their needs," The Broker refused to answer her question.

"Yeah, us two and our companions almost died getting it for you," Tina explained.

"An occupational hazard, I'm sure in your line of work," The Broker reasoned.

"It wasn't occupational hazard, Mr. Broker," Peter started to say. "We were attacked and almost killed by some machine-headed freak working for a dude named Ronan,"

The moment that name was mention, The Broker's head shot up and his eyes widened with fear. "Ronan?" he immediately took the Orb walked around his desk shoved it into Peter's hand and started pushing the two back. "I'm sorry, Quills. I truly am. But I want no part of this transaction if Ronan is involved.

"Woah, woah, woah!" Tina halted him pushing them out. "Who's Ronan?"

"A Kree fanatic outranged by the peace treaty who will not rest until Xandarian culture, my culture…" The Broker frantically explained. "Is wiped from existence,"

"Come on," Peter attempted.

"He's someone whose bad side I'd rather not be on,"

"Yeah, well what about our bad side?" Tina challenged. "You don't wanna make us angry,"

Orlins growled.

"I'll take my chances. Now farewell," The Broker pushed them out and before the Guntrins could leap down and attack him for going back on his deal, the door closed.

"Hey, we had a deal, bro!" Peter shouted.

"That slimly, old quirk!" Tina lashed out.

Meredith hopped down from Peter's shoulders and turned bigger to bang against the door.

"Meredith, forget he's not goanna open it," Peter told her.

Meredith snorted and jumped back onto his shoulder in her normal size.

The two noticed a green woman in black clothing leaning against the side of the building.

"What happened?" the stranger asked.

Peter was about to answered when his sister pulled him away to meet her face.

"No Peter. No Peter," Tina shook her head. "Bad idea talking to a stranger,"

"Sis, its fine," Peter assured. "Ah, this guys just backed out of a deal on me, my sister and our Guntrins," he answered to the strange. "IF there's one thing we hate, it's a man without integrity," he started introducing himself and his group much to Tina's annoyance. Meredith and Orlins were annoyed as well. "Peter and Tina Quill and our Guntrins: Meredith and Orlins. People call my twin and I Star-Lord and Star-Lady,"

Tina was annoyed with her frowned eyebrows and her crossed arms. Honestly what is it with him and women he's just met?

"You two have the bearing of soldiers of honour," Gamora commented looking at them.

"Well, you know, we wouldn't say that," Peter answered. "People say it about us, all the time but it's not something we would ever say about ourselves," he was tossing the Orb up and down.

Tina had enough and pulled his arm. "Peter, can we just go?"

"Come on sis, nothing's goanna happen,"

But when his hand was held out with the Orb, the woman grabbed it and kicked Peter in the stomach sending him and his sister down.

"'Nothing bad is goanna happen' uh?" Tina asked angry at him.

Meredith brushed her tail in his face.

Tina saw the woman getting away. She took out a device and threw it. It was a plasma rope that wrapped around the escapee's legs and made her trip.

She dashed towards her.

But Gamora released herself from it and kicked Tina down. They started wrestling against each other.

"I didn't want to have to do this," Gamora prepared to kill Tina but Orlins pounced onto her face and started scratching her. But she grabbed him, she threw him to the ground.

Meredith turned big and pounced her whipping her away with her tail; she got back on her feet.

Peter prepared to fire at her but Gamora kicked his hand. "This wasn't the plan," she prepared to kill him when a racoon came jumping into her face and blocked her vision.

"Put them in the bag," he ordered to Groot.

Branches started sprouting out of Groot's body and they wrapped around Gamora's body.

This gave Peter and Tina a chance to escape with their Guntrins.

"No her!" Rocket shouted. "Those two!"

But Groot ignored him and tied his extending arms around Gamora's body.

"Learn what people I mean, man!" Rocket shouted again.

Gamora screamed and bit Rocket's fingers.

"Oww" he screamed. "Biting? That's not fair!"

Gamora released herself from Groot's grasp, grabbed Rocket off her head and threw him off the walkway into the square below. He banged into a huge glass screen.

She took out a knife and aimed it at the runaway Quills. She threw it.

Its flight grazed against Tina's hand and she dropped the orb in pain.

"The Orb!" Peter screamed.

Orlins tried to get it but it fell off the bridge and landed in the square.

Gamora unsheathed her sword and lashed out a Groot before jumping over some tourist tables onto the ground below. She made a quick run and grabbed the orb.

"Great," Tina cursed.

"Don't worry I got an idea," her brother assured.

Gamora was sprinting at the bottom when she saw Peter leaping down on her. But she easily pinned him down with her body and legs.

"Fool, you should've learnt," Gamora snarled.

"Well, he never learns that's one of his issues," Tina's voice made Gamora look up at her. "And neither do you," she pressed her wrist controlled and the blasters (that Meredith had sneaked onto Gamora whilst she was fighting against Peter) were activated sending Gamora flying into the fountains. Peter took the orb out of her hands before she was blasted away.

Tina pulled Peter up on his feet.

The crowd gasped.

Peter and Tina's luck was cut off by a huge sack being placed over them.

There was muffled yelling from inside.

Meredith and Orlins tried to bite at Groot and before they could change size, Groot kicked them away with his feet.

Rocket picked up Meredith wanting her now that she was in his arms.

"The red guntrin's mine,"

Meredith bit Rocket's noise and whacked him in the face with her tail.

She then pounced on Groot's face along with Orlins.

He dropped the sack and fell down struggling to get the shape-shifting creatures off him.

"Oh, great," Rocket muffled in his wrestling with Meredith when he saw Gamora stomping forward towards him. He pushed him aside with the Guntrin pulling on his fur still.

Gamora used her sword to slice off Groot's arms before hitting the side of it into his stomach making him flinch back in pain.

She placed her sword back in its leather holder attached to her side and opened the bag.

All she was met with was an electric blast from Peter's quadblasters that stunned her and made her fall back in pain.

"Run!" Peter screamed. He grabbed his sister's hand and they made a dash for it out of the sack towards the crowd. The two Guntrins ran after them.

"This is goanna hurt," Rocket blasted two electrical blasts from his gun and they stunned the Quill Twins. The Guntrins stopped running and tired nuzzling them awake.

"I am Groot," Groot said sadly to Rocket showing his brown arms and his armless shoulder blades.

"It'll grow back, you idiot," Rocket sympathised in a bit of a mean way. "Quit whining,"

The two were suddenly levitated into the air by golden waves being given off by Nova Corp ships. "Subject 89P13, drop your weapon," a voice commanded from inside one of them.

Rocket obeyed. He reluctantly dropped his gun. "Aww, crap,"

"By the authority of the Nova Corps, you are under arrest,"

Meredith and Orlins in their usual forms were trying to nuzzle Peter and Tina to get up.

But two large electric cages were instantly landed over them. They try to get bigger or smaller but they couldn't. They estimated that the cages were giving out a force that prevented Guntrins from changing sizes.

Before Peter and Tina could do anything, their hands were shackled. They were pulled to their feet by Nova Corp officers.

"…for endangerment to life and the destruction of property," the booming voice finished.

"Hey! If it isn't Star-Prince and Princess," one of them goaded once he and his colleges could see Peter and Tina's faces.

"It's Star-Lord and Star-Lady," Peter corrected.

"Oh, sorry. 'Lord' and 'Lady'. I picked those two up and their pets for petty theft. They got code names,"

The other three scoffed.

"Come on, man. They're outlaw names," Tina moaned as they led her and her brother whilst another two appeared and carried the cages with their Guntrins inside.

The four along with the others were taken to a building and confined of all their belongings including their Walkman's much to their anger.

Everyone separately went through a machine that scanned them for their biographies, genes, skeletons, histories etc.

It was Gamora first.

"Gamora," said Dey the leader of their group. "Gamora. Surgically modified and trained as a living weapon. The adopted daughter of the Mad Titan, Thanos. Recently, Thanos lent her and her sister Nebula out to Ronan, which leads us to believe that Thanos and Ronan are working together"

Next it was Rocket. Subject 89P13. Calls itself "Rocket." The result of illegal genetic and cybernetic experiments on a lower life form."

After that, Groot came arms had already started growing back. "They call it Groot. He's been travelling recently as 89P13's personal houseplant/muscle."

The Guntrins (this time in shackles) came next. "Two Guntrins from the planet: Gunt. They were kidnapped and enslaved by the Ravangers but ever since almost 20 years ago,, they've been the companions of Star Prince Princess.

"It's Star-Lord and Star-Lady," Tina hissed when it was her turn.

"Tina Marie Quill. From Terra. She alongside her brother were raised by the Ravangers led by Yondu Udonta.

"Peter Jason Quill, from Terra. Raised from youth by a band of mercenaries called the Ravagers, led by Yondu Udonta,"

"What a bunch of a 'wholes. Transport all four to the Kyln," Saal ordered.


	7. The Kyln - Meeting Drax

**The Kyln – Meeting Drax: **

"I guess most of the Nova Corps wanna uphold the laws, but these ones here, they're corrupt and cruel. But hey, that's not my problem," Rocket complimented in a happy tone as they walked down.

Both Tina and Peter were getting very annoyed.

"I've escaped twenty-two prisons, this one's no different. You guys are lucky that girl showed, because otherwise, Groot and I would be collecting that bounty right now whilst we'd have that blue Guntrin for supper and I'd be having that red beautiful one all to myself," Rocket was swooning over the thought of holding Meredith again but he got focused back on speaking back to the Quill Twins. "Who knows what Yondu would be doing to you two,"

"The two of us and our Guntrins have had loads of folks try to kill us for years. We ain't about to be brought down by a tree and talking racoon," Peter answered back.

"You guys so much as touch a single finger on Orlins and that'll be the last thing you ever do," Tina warned.

"The same thing will also be done should you touch Meredith," Peter added.

"I will have her and by the way what's a racoon?" Rocket asked as they had to stop.

"What's a racoon?" Tina questioned exasperated. "It's what you are stupid,"

"Ain't nothing like me except me," Rocket answered.

"So, this orb has a real shiny blue suitcase, Ark of the Covenant, Maltese Falcon sort of vibe. What is it?" Peter asked out front to Gamora leading the way.

"I am Groot," Groot said behind Peter.

"So what? What's the orb?" Peter asked Gamora again.

Gamora didn't answer.

"Don't you know it's rude to not answer when someone's asking you something?" Tina questioned.

"I have no words for honourless thieves and their pets," Gamora sneered.

"First of all, our Guntrins are our companions. Not our pets," Peter corrected.

"Pretty high and mighty coming from the lackey of a genocidal maniac," Rocket said.

Gamora looked at him in surprise.

"Yes, I know who you are," Rocket answered. "Anyone who's anyone knows who you are,"

"Yeah, Tina and I know who you are," Peter added in. But he asked Groot: "Who is she?"

"I am Groot," Groot answered with the same words.

"Yeah, you said that about the one-hundredth time," Peter said getting annoyed.

"Why does he always say "I am Groot"?" Tina asked getting annoyed as well.

"His vocabulary is limited to 'I', 'am' and 'Groot' always in the same order," Rocket answered.

"Well, he really needs English lessons," Tina complemented.

"I am Groot," Groot said sadly.

"You hurt his feelings," Rocket told Tina off.

"Sorry, Groot," Tina quickly apologised.

"I am Groot," Groot answered to her.

"He forgives you," Rocket translated.

Tina sensed her brother giving her a disapproving look. "What?"

The line of prisoners stopped walking when the guard leading them lead them to a door. As they stopped, Gamora said, "I wasn't stealing the orb for Ronan. I was betraying,"

What she said really surprised them.

"I had an agreement to sell it to a third party,"

"Okay, Miss Gamora, who is this…?" Peter didn't finished his sentence when he saw a Nova Corp guard using his Walkamn. "Hey. Put that away,"

What he was saying across to the guard got his twins attention. Her eyes widened when another guard was using hers. "Hey. You get your filthy hands off my Walkman,"

The guard's ignored both of them.

"Hey, you snatchers, didn't you hear us?" Tina shouted dashing in front of them just as they were closing the door separating her from her brother and the others. "Take those headphones off. They belong to us!"

The guard just yelled and tasered her to the ground making her cry in pain.

"Hooked on a Feeling! Blue Swede! 1973!" Quill shouted. "That's ours. Now you leave her alone, you blue bastard!"

The other guard reached the taser through the bars and tasered him too.

After the tasering situation, everyone was forced out of their clothes. After that they were sprayed with a disgusting orange fluid that tasted horrible when some of it got into their mouths.

Peter and Tina were being pulled into a room to get changed into yellow prison clothes with Peter in his pants and Tina in her underwear and bra, when the soldiers noticed them wearing their mother's watch and necklace.

They immediately tasered them again and took them off.

"Hey, you can't take those from us, they're our mothers!" Peter shouted.

"Sorry, you'll just have to deal without them," the guards apologised sarcastically.

"If we catch anyone wearing them that'll be the last thing they'll be wearing ever," Tina warned as they dragged them away.

"We'll get them back," Peter vowed.

"Along with their Walkman," Tina reminded as well.

They were pushed into the room to get changed into prison clothes. Peter was about to lash out at the gaurds when flying robots prepared to fire at him and Tina. They both reluctantly got changed into simple yellow clothes. Once Tina's hair was drying, she tied it in a long pony tail down her back.

"Here are your pets," one the guards turned his head and two other guards were holding Orlins and Meredith in shackles. They let them go and they immediately ran into Peter and Tina's arms. "Those shackles keep them from changing size so didn't even think that you're goanna escape. Oh and also don't think of trying to break them out. Try and pull them off and you'll electrocute yourselves and your pets,"

"They're our companions. Not our pets," Tina corrected as she and Peter walked away with Orlins and Guntrins on their shoulders.

Along with a dressed up Gamora (whose hair was plaited), a dressed up Rocket and an undressed Groot, they were escorted to the main part of the prison where their new inmates would be. On the way, they were given blankets. The main section had a huge watch tower in the centre and there were benches everywhere with inmates of all different alien species sitting down.

Once they saw their new inmates, they immediately started growling, snarling and shouting at them. Mainly at Gamora who flinched visibly to all the shouting aimed at her. There were shouts at her like: "MURDERER!" or "You're SCUM! You're Scum!"

Rocket knew the reason for it. "Like I said, she's got a rep. A lot of prisoners hre, have lost their familes to Ronan and his goons. She'll last a day tops," Rocket told the group.

"The guards will protect her right?" Peter asked.

"They're here to stop us from getting out," Rocket answered. "They don't care what we do to each other," what he said obviously meant 'No'.

Peter noticed his sister frowning right into his eyes. "Uhh…why are you looking at me like that?"

"How can you be concerned for that woman who tried to kill us and steal our Orb?" she sneered. "She can die for all we care for being in league with Ronan,"

"Now that's a bit harsh," Peter commented holding a softer frown back at her.

Their talking stopped when they came in front of a giant blue alien.

He started rubbing his hand along Tina's face much to her disgust. Orlins snapped at him.

"Filthy animal!" the prisoner grunted.

"Don't call him, filthy. You're the one who stinks and looks dirty," Tina said back in disgust.

"Why you…!" the alien was about to touch Tina when Peter blocked her way.

"Hey, touch one more finger on my sister and it'll be the last thing you ever touch," Peter warned pointing in his finger in the inmate's face.

The inmate prepared to punch him and teach him a lesson.

Groot wouldn't stand for it and just poked his twig fingers up the prisoner's nostrils. He squealed in pain as he was lifted up by that tree creature.

"You want them, you go through us or…more importantly we go through you!"

He and his best friend continued walking onwards.

"We're with them," Tina took her brother's hand and proceeded to follow Rocket and Groot. Peter however pulled her back.

"What are you doing?"

"Following them of course,"

"They tried to capture us,"

"They're our only protection whilst stuck here," Tina placed her tips close to her brother's ear. "Besides we'll be able to escape if we're with them,"

"Yeah and after that we'll just get given to Yondu. Look we're not going anywhere near them,"

"Unless you'd rather have us deal with all these goons who wanna kill us?" Tina asked pointing at some prisoners behind them. She already knew what her brother's response would be.

"Ahh…no let's go with your idea," Peter quickly pulled his sister to follow Groot and Rocket.

Hours later Peter was lying in a bundle of snoring, snorkelling prisoners whilst Tina was sleeping against a metal with Groot as company. Orlins was nesting in her arms.

Meredith meanwhile was lying all curled on Peter's covered belly.

Gamora was trying to get some sleep in her cell but couldn't. She was suddenly yanked onto her feet by a few prisoners. "Well, Gamora," a prisoner probably the leader of the group sneered. "Time, to have some business with you,"

"Take her down to the showers," a Nova Guard said to the prisoners as he was allowing them to have their 'businesses' with Gamora. "It'll be easier to clean up the blood down there,"

Gamora growled in anger as she was pulled away.

Peter still couldn't get to sleep when he heard Gamora's growling. He looked up and through the rusty bars were prisoners taking Gamora away.

He lifted the prisoner's arm off his body and sat up. Meredith fell onto his laps and woke up. "Sorry, girl," he said to her "But you need to stay up just for a bit longer,"

Meredith cooed with understanding and came onto his shoulders.

"Peter, why are you up?"

His twin's voice spooked him and made him turn round.

"I'm going after Gamora," he answered.

"Are you seriously goanna go after her?"

"Yes,"

"Peter, she tried to kill us and steal our orb,"

"She knows where to sell our orb, we'll probably get more units that what the Broker would have given us,"

Tina still wasn't convinced.

"Come on, sis," Peter pleaded. "Pretty please,"

He looked at his sister with puppy eyes.

"Fine," Tina answered sighing. "But the moment, we get the money, we are not going near the woman again. Deal?"

"Deal,"

The Quills started sneaking off to trail the prisoners with Gamora. Rocket heard them and got up, "Quills, where are you guys going?" he asked in his sleepy voice.

The Twins ignored his question and kept sneaking off after the others.

"Quills?" he asked a bit louder. "Quills!"

Gamora was taken to the shower room (which didn't look like a shower room, more like a big spare metal room).

She was pinned against the metal wall. "Gamora…" a prisoner named sneered. "Consider this a death sentence for your crimes against the galaxy,"

"You dare?" a different voice spooked them. The prisoners turned and saw a larger, stronger prisoner in the tunnel. He was grey with red tattoos from his home world, he only wore yellow prisoner parents, had a bald grey head and purple eyes. "You know who i am?"

The prisoner (who was threatening Gamora) was called Dar. He answered: "You're Drax the Destroyer!"

Peter, Tina and their Guntrins watched curiously. Meanwhile Rocket was trying to pull them away but they took no notice of him. They were just too fixed on what they watching.

"And do you know why they call me this?" Drax asked.

"You slayed dozens of Ronan's minions," Dar answered.

"Ronan murdered my wife, Ovette and my daughter, Camaria," Drax answered. "He slaughtered them where they stood and he laughed!"

Peter and Tina instantly realised that this wasn't going to end out well for Gamora.

"Quills" Rocket pleading but still he couldn't get their attention.

"Her life is not yours to take," Drax said in waring tone to Dar and the prisoners helping him restrain Gamora. "He killed my family….I shall kill one of his in return,"

"Of course, Drax," Dar answered not wanting to face his wrath if he refused to let him kill the murdering daughter of Thanos. "Here I…" he handed Drax the dagger.

"Taking the chance, Gamora used her quick reflexes to kick the knifes out of the inmates' hands. She took them down and sawn had two knives in front of Drax's and Dar's throats.

Peter and Tina took the chance to tiptoe towards them. "Quill! What are you two doing?" Rocket asked. For the third time, they took no notice of him.

"I'm no family to Ronan or Thanos," Gamora sneered with hatred. She took a step back and dropped the knives. Dar took a breath of relief whilst Drax stared at her as she did at him. "I'm your only hope at stopping him,"

Drax yowled, grabbed her throat and pinned her against the wall. "Woman, your words mean nothing to me!" he shouted pointing her knife at her.

"Hey! Hey, hey, hey! Hey!" Peter shouted trying to get his attention.

"Oh, crap," Rocket muttered to himself, placing his paw against his face.

"You know, if killing Ronan is truly your sole purpose…" Peter began. "I don't think this is the best way to go about it,"

"Are you not one of those twins that this woman tried to kill?" Drax asked.

"She's hardly the first one who tried to do that to me and my sister," Peter lifted up his shirt to show some scars. "You see her this is from a smokin' hot Rajak girl; stabbed me with a fork, didn't like me skipping out on her at sunrise," He then pulled the neck hole on his shirt down a bit to reveal a pale scar on his neckline. "And right here, a Kree girl tried to rip out my thorax. She caught me with this skinny little A'askavariian who worked for Nova Records. I was trying to get information! You ever seen an A'askavariian? Tentacles, needles for teeth. If you think I'm seriously interested in that, then..."

"Peter?" Tina got his attention.

"What?" he asked confused.

Tina gestured to Drax's murderous glare. "He's not interested,"

"Okay, look here's the point," Peter started to get the point. "She betrayed Ronan. He's coming back for her,"

What he was telling Drax really surprised him.

"And when he does, that's when you…" Peter finished with his finger sliding across his neck.

"Why would I put my finger on his throat?" Drax asked completely unimpressed.

"That's my brother showing you a symbol for you slicing his throat," Tina explained.

"Why would I slice his throat? I would cut his head clean off,"

"Look, Drax. What my brother is saying, is you need to keep her alive so Ronan has a reason for coming here. Don't kill his target before he gets here," Tina advised.

Drax took one last long look at his pinned victim and let her go.

Gamora collapsed to the floor gasping for air.

Peter and Tina were quiet.

"I like your knife. I'm keeping it," Drax went away with Dar's knife much to his sadness.

"That was my favourite knife,"

Peter, Tina, their Guntrins and Rocket followed Gamora to the centre of the prison. "Listen, we could care less whether you live or whether you die," Peter said getting Gamora's attention.

"Then why stop the big guy?" Gamora questioned turning around.

"Simple. You know where to sell our orb," Tina answered with crossed arms.

"How are we goanna sell it we and it are still in here?" Gamora thinking that Quills clearly don't see the situation that they're in.

"Our friend Rocket here has escaping twenty two prisons," Peter answered happily gesturing to Rocket.

"Oh, we're getting out," Rocket answered smiling. "And then we're heading straight to Yondu to retrieve your bounties," he pointed at Peter and Tina.

"Well, lady Gamora, how much was your buyer willing to pay you for the Orb?" Tina questioned ingorning what the racoon just said.

"4 billion units,"

"What?!" Rocket asked shocked. This was way more money than the bounty was offering for Peter and Tina's capture.

"Holy, shit," Peter said very quietly.

"That orb is my opportunity to get away from Thanos and Ronan. If you guys free us….I'll lead you to the buyer directly and split the profit between the four of us,"

"Hey, don't leave out our Guntrins," Tina said knowing she'd forgotten Orlins and Meredith.

"What would your pets do with money?" Gamora asked.

"They're not our pets. They're our companions," Peter answered.

"Well, sorry Quill Twins. But it's for the four of us only," Gamora declared her word.

"I am Groot," Groot's voice was heard through the gates.

"Five of us. Asleep for the danger. Awake for the money as proficking usual," Rocket said in disgrace at his partner.

"Well, we had better get some sleep," Tina said. "Goodnight, everyone," she went inside cradling a sleeping Orlins in her paws. She was whispering to him as they went inside. "Don't worry, Orlins. You and Meredith will get money. There are loads of things you two can do with money,"

Peter watched with humour as Gamora walked away. His smiling halted when Meredith whacked the back of his head with her tail. It was light and soft.

"What?"

Meredith just gave her a deadpan look but she yawned.

"Come on, let's get some sleeping," Peter gently lifted Meredith off his shoulder and placed her carefully and comfortably in his arms. He frowned when he saw Rocket making a sort of goo-goo look at his companion.

"Rocket, will you stop making goo-goo eyes at Meredith like that?" Peter asked crossing his arms.

"Well sorry, it's just so shameful how you keep her as a pet and you don't give her any freedom,"

"First of all, she is not a pet. She is a companion along Orlins to me and Tina," Peter corrected. "Second of all she has freedom alongside Orlins. They just want to be around me and Tina because we saved their lives when we were kids,"

"Yeah, I get that but you can't expect her to be on your shoulder all the time,"

Peter just walked inside to get some sleep. Meredith looked back at Rocket.

Rocket looked wide-eyed at her thinking she was returning his affections but Meredith just went "Mmm," and turned her nestling her head inside Peter's neck much to Rocket's pity.

* * *

 **Sorry for taking so long. You have no idea how much revision I must do for my exams. I've only got 2 months to go.**


	8. Escape from the Kyln Part 1

**Escape from the Kyln Part 1:**

"You have been betrayed Ronan," an alien who worked for Thanos known as the Other informed him as he was contacting him.

"We know only that she has been captured," Ronan said. "Gamora may let recover the orb,"

"No, our sources within the Kyln say Gamora has her own plans for the Orb. Your partnership with Thanos is at risk," The Other warned. "Thanos requires your presence now!" His face disappeared.

Ronan was shocked.

Vamos's face became filled with hatred bitter and stern to his core.

* * *

Ronan, Nebula, and Vamos traveled to the Sanctuary, a floating headquarters of rocks.

"Thanos! How is it that despite that your daughter made this mess and yet you summon me," Ronan questioned.

"Lower your voice Accuser!" the Other warned. "You don't talk like that to Thanos,"

"First she loses a battle against some puny twins and their furry pets…" Ronan begins to baff over everything.

"Thanos put Gamora under your charge," the Other reminded.

"Then she was apprehended by the Nova Corp!"

Nebula was mending her prosthetic arm whilst Vamos was crossing his arms at Ronan.

"You are the one here with nothing to show for it," the Other reminded again.

"Your sources say that she meant to betray us the whole time!" Ronan shouted.

The Other finally had enough with his tone. "Lower your tone!" he shouted.

Ronan had enough too. He sent out a sonic wave from his hammer making the Other's head twist halfway breaking his bones and killing him. The dead body with a twisted head fell down.

Vamos scrunched his eyes disapprovingly. He looked up to a giant stone chair that was turned around facing the reaches of space.

Ronan turned his focus to the stone throne. "I only ask that you take this matter seriously," he inquired.

The floating chair turned around to face Ronan. "The only matter I do not take seriously boy is you," a gigantic alien in golden armor said angrily in a soft sharp voice. "Your politics bore me. Your demeanor is that of a pouty child. Apparently, you alienated my favorite daughter Gamora,"

Nebula growled quietly and clenched her teeth. She was never loved nor truly cared for by Thanos. He always preferred Gamora over her. Vamos couldn't help but feel sorry for her.

"Father…" Vamos addressed. "Gamora did this of her own free will. If anything, she's been planning this for a long time. It was no alienation that made her betray us,"

Thanos turned to his son and frowned, facially warning him to back down.

Vamos stayed quiet but frowned at his father.

Thanos turned his attention back to Ronan. "I shall honor our agreement Kree. Only if you bring me the Orb. If you fail again, I will bathe the stars in your blood," he sneered.

Ronan looked frightened.

"Sounds fair Dad," Nebula said a bit approvingly as she was finished on her arm. She stood up and walked past Ronan. "This is one fight you won't win," she warned.

"I'll be keeping a closer eye on you," Vamos swore. He got up too and turned to his father who nodded faithfully to him. As he looked at Ronan again, Vamos cracked his neck bones as he bent it both sideways and as well as clenched his fists. "Let's head to the Kyln,'

The next day at the Kyln, the group of forced allies received a disgusting lunch. Rocket was speaking out his plan, a bit loudly as they were now walking towards an empty tale. "If we're gonna get out of here, we're gonna have to get inside that watchtower," he was gesturing to a towering tower watching over her prisoners, standing in the center with a guard inside the top. "And to do that I'm gonna need a few things. The guards wearing security bands to control the doors. I need one," he started as he eyed a Nova guard letting a prisoner through a metal door.

"You guys leave it to me," Gamora voted in.

"That dude there…" Rocket pointed to a walking prisoner with a robotic leg. "I need his prosthetic leg,"

"His leg? Are you sure?" Tina asked uncertainly. Orlins on her shoulder gave Rocket a questioning look.

"Yeah. I won't need the rest of him," Rocket said.

"Alright," Peter gave in. Meredith snaked around his shoulders continued to stare at him in question.

"And finally, on the wall on the watchtower's side is a black panel with a blinky yellow light. Can you guys see it?"

The Quill Twins and their Guntrins looked up and saw what he was talking about. "Yep!" they both answered.

The group seated themselves at a table.

"There's a quarnyx battery behind it. It's a purple box with green wires. To get into that watchtower, we're definitely gonna need it,"

"How are we gonna get it?" Gamora asked.

"Well, suppose that these bald doods sitting over there find you and Miss Tinnie here attractive…" Rocket's idea was already disgusting the girls. "Maybe one of you girls can work out some sort of trade?"

"Yuck!" Tina scoffed. "Gamora can do that. But I ain't doing it,"

"You must be joking," Gamora rebuffed that idea.

"Come on they find you guys attractive," Rocket groaned.

"Look that battery is twenty feet in the air in the most heavily guarded part of the prison," Peter pointed out.

"Peter's right. How are we supposed to get up there without being seen?" Tina asked.

"Well, this escape plan involves that battery so both of you FIGURE IT OUT!" Rocket shouted in their faces.

None of the group realized that Groot had walked up to the tower's wall. Thanks to his gigantic height, he was able to reach up to the panel and rip it off.

"Can I get back to it? Thank you," Rocket started off again without anyone giving him an answer much to their annoyance. "We need to get that battery last. Once its removed, an alarm will set off alerting the guards so we must get that last," he instructed.

"Uh, guys…" Tina tried to say as she spotted Groot.

"Not now Tinnie," Rocket interrupted.

"But Rocket…" Tina tried to say again. Orlins started squeaking angrily at him to get his attention.

"I said not now!" Rocket shouted in her face. Meredith bit at him.

"Easy Luv," Rocket soothed in a flirty manner.

"No one calls my Meredith 'Luv'," Peter said leaning into Rocket's face.

Suddenly, an ear-piercing alarm rang all around. The group saw that Groot had pulled the battery out of place setting of the alarm.

"See what I was trying to tell you!" Tina was glaring into Rocket darkly with her arms on hip. Orlins was mimicking her actions and pouring the same amount of anger into Rocket's eyes.

"Or we can just get it first and improvise!" Rocket ordered ignoring Tina's rant at him.

"I'll get the armband!" Gamora was up and ready.

"We're on legs!" Peter was up and ready. "Come on guys!"

They split up. Gamora to the left. Peter, Tina and the Guntrins to the right. Rocket still sat at his table groaning over Groot's idiotic actions.

Flying droids came floating into the room. They surrounded Groot. The Nova Guard in the tower head up above gave out loud orders through a microphone. "Prisoner! Drop the battery and retreat to your cell! Or we will open fire!"

"I am GROOOOOOOT!" Groot roared. He refused to back down.

"Fire!" the guard ordered.

The droids fired on Groot but he grew sharp twigs around his shoulders and started slamming the droids out of the air. They started crashing around the seating areas of the prison cafeteria. The prisoners scattered in different directions.

"All prisoners return to your sleeping areas!" the watchtower guard ordered.

Instead of cowering to a cell, Rocket rushed on four paws to Groot and up onto his shoulders. "You idiot! How am I supposed to fight these things without my stuff! Why didn't you listen to anything I said at the table?"

"I am Groot!" Groot answered loudly.

"Why did you just up to the tower and not join us at the table?"

Groot didn't get to answer. He was busy shielding his face and Rocket from a droid's guns until he managed to hit-making it crash on the floor.

Nova guards sprinted into the cafeteria carrying guns.

"Fire on my command," the group's leader commanded.

Drax the Destroyer suddenly came running up to them, taking them out easily like training dummies. He had overheard the group's plan to escape. This was his chance to escape and have his revenge on Ronan. Gamora was the key to it.

The guards tried to fight back but he as too strong for them. Even their boldest punches couldn't harm his thick hide of grey skin. He grabbed a gun and shouted: "Creepy little beast!"

Rocket turned and saw the maniac throwing the gun over to him. He caught it, clicked it into the attack-mode and said very slowly: "Oh – yeah!"

 _bang. bang. bang. bang. bang. bang._

Rocket shot the remaining droids and roared in humor and fun. So did Groot.

The twins had made their way to cell of the prisoner with the prosthetic leg.

"You need my what?" the old guy asked.

"Your leg. We need your leg," Tina answered.

"No way," he shook his head.

"We'll pay you for it," Peter offered quickly.

"Not interested,"

"We can do this the easy way. or the hard way," Tina warned softly.

"I'm not scared of your hard way. Just what is it?" the old guy goaded.

The twins glanced and smirked at each other. They turned back to the old guy.

"Why not show you instead of telling you?" Peter offered as he was smirking again.

"You're gonna regret doing this the hard way," Tina whistled.

"AAAAHHHH!" the old guy screamed as the two Guntrins leaped on him and started scratching and biting all over his body.

The Quill twins laughed and laughed and laughed.

Gamora had taken several guards as she was running along the rails outside the cells. Not even a number of four were any match for her.

She managed to beat the final one down. She grabbed a security band and made a dash for it back to the tower.

The Quill Twins and the Guntrins back on their shoulders were dashing back to the tower as well with the leg. Three droids suddenly appeared above them along with a Nova Guard. Tina kicked the guard before Orlins lept off again and scratched his face. Tina grabbed the gun and shot the droids down giving her brother time to get out their range as a fourth appeared right behind him.

Groot walked over to the tower and he started growing taller and his arms started growing upwards as well and they reached up towards the metal bridge connecting the watchtower to the third level of the prison.

Gamora did a mighty leap across a large gap to reach the bridge. She kneeled down and helped a climbing Rocket up. She handed him the security band and he started wrapping it around the battery.

Peter, Tina, and their Guntrins reached the cafeteria. Whilst Meredith held the leg between her teeth, Peter started climbing up a towering Groot to reach the bridge.

Tina was about to climb but a droid was aimed behind. Before it could shoot, Drax suddenly grabbed and ripped it apart with his bare hands.

"You lady who has slain with Alaskavarian besides her brother!"

"It was a one-time man!" Tina said. "Coming with us?"

"I need to be close to that green woman if I'm gonna get revenge on Ronan,"

"Well then welcome to the group!" Peter included himself in as he looked down. "Thanks for saving my twin. Let's get going,"

The group walked to the watchtower doors and with the security band that Gamora gave him Rocket opened it easily.

They all glared and faced the scared Nova guard with hands-on-hips or arms crossed. The Nova guard lifted his hands up. Gamora walked forward and shoved him off his chair. Groot then grabbed with his roping twig hands and threw him off the bridge. The group walked inside and Rocket settled himself in the seat in front of the controls.

Gamora sensed Drax standing near her. She stepped back in shock with a deadly gaze.

"Spare me your deadly gaze deadly woman!" Drax ordered.

Why's this one here?" Gamora demanded to look at the twins.

"We promised him he could stay by your side until he kills your boss," Tina answered.

"Don't worry. We won't let him kill you," Peter promised. "Here you go," he placed the prosthetic leg onto the desktop near Rocket.

"Oh, I was just kidding about the leg," Rocket said. "I just need these two things,"

"What?!" both twins asked.

"I thought it would be funny. Was it funny?" Rocket started to laugh. "What did he look like hopping around?"

"I can't believe you!" Tina ranted. "This is the last time we ever listen to you about plans,"

"We nearly got killed by droids getting it to you!" Peter shouted.

Rocket struggled to hold in his sniggering. Meredith had enough. She walked off Peter's shoulders and down his arm. She then wiped Rocket's head hard with her tail.

"Ow! Easy Luv!" he squealed.

"Stop calling her Luv!" Peter warned.

"How are we gonna leave?" Drax asked impatiently as he didn't see how standing in a watchtower would get them out of the Kyln.


	9. Escape from the Kyln Part 2

**Escape from the Kyln Part 2:**

 _Bang. Bang. Bang._

The surviving droids were shooting from outside.

"He's got a plan!" Peter shouted. "Right or is that another you made up?!"

"I have a plan! I have a plan!"

"You'd better. Because we will use you as a shield from those droids if you don't us out soon!" Tina shouted.

"Easy there," Rocket pleaded as he was hurrying along with changing wires.

Orlins snapped repeatedly to make him work faster.

"Seize that snapping," Drax commanded poking into Orlin's head. Orlins snapped at him and he stumbled back a bit in fright.

"He doesn't like to be touched like that," Tina warned grimly.

"Raccoon, will you just get on with this plan of yours and release us from this confinement?" Drax asked with his voice unable to hold back his impatience.

"I'll have to agree with the walking thesaurus on that one," Peter added.

"Don't ever call me a thesaurus," Drax warned darkly.

Meredith snapped at him too.

"Yikes. What is it with these pets of yours?" he asked both Quill Twins.

"They're companions! Not pets!" Tina pressed her teeth together as she muffled out her retort.

"Come on dude!" Peter whined at Drax. "It's just a metaphor. Don't you know what a metaphor is?"

"No," Drax answered.

"It's a figure of speech," Tina explained.

"Geez and crackers, metaphors go over their heads," Rocket muttered.

"Nothing goes over my head," Drax declared.

"Except of course pouncing Guntrins who will not tolerate with your tone," Tina eyed him cautiously whilst Orlins snarled gently at the tattooed alien.

"I'd like to you try pet," Drax goaded.

"Not a pet!" Tina shouted.

"I'm gonna die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy," Gamora muttered calmly though her tone was barely able to contain her growing impatience and anger.

"Easy. Easy. Easy," Peter chimed in.

A large group suddenly appeared out of the bottom tunnel and kneeled down in front and aimed humongous guns at the tower top.

"Those are some big guns," Peter freaked out calmly. He felt his twin grasping his hand anxiously. He squeezed it back to give her comfort.

"On my command!" the group's leader commanded. "One!"

Gun number one shot and struck the tower head. The windows started cracking.

"Rodent! We are ready for your plan!" Gamora screeched impatiently.

"Hold on!" Rocket retorted getting tired of their rants.

"Well hurry up!" Tina ordered.

"Two!" the leader commanded again.

Gun number two shooted and struck the tower head.

"I recognise this animal. We roasted them over a flame pit as children. Their flesh was so tasty and delicious," Drax started laughing at the memory.

"Not helping!" Rocket shouted.

"Number Three!" the leader boomed again from below.

More glass started breaking and it felt like they would surely perish if they shot again. Peter and Tina clutched each other's hands tight whilst their Guntrins moved to their chests and pressed their furry bodies against them. They wrapped their free arms around them.

"All fire on my command! Three! Two! One!"

Before the guard could shout: "Fire!" Rocket finally grabbed two different coloured wires and pressed them together. _BEEEEEEEP_

The Nova guards outside started floating in the air. So did the prisoners inside their cells.

Gamora instantly knew what Rocket had done. "You turned off the artificial gravity. Everywhere but in here," she was impressed.

Rocket pulled a lever and the tower head holding the escaping group lifted into the air. He pressed the screens a few times and the surviving droids flew to the outline of the floating tower head and they attached themselves.

Using the screen controls, Rocket made them boost their engines and guide the tower head down and through a wide tunnel big enough for a floating watchtower tower to fly through. "I told you I had a plan," They flew through several corridors until they crashed near the quarters where the Nova Corp kept their confistated belongings. They crashed and landed. Rocket then pressed a button to close the tunnel behind them.

"That was a pretty good plan," Peter admitted.

The Quill Twins kicked the glass windows apart giving them a way out. They helped the others out. The majority of them went to the ranks of boxes holding their belongings. Meanwhile, Peter and Tina with their companions dashed to the nearby window to see if they could find their ship. Since their arrest, their ship had been taken to the Nova Corp.

"There's our ship!" Peter shouted pointing to it, resting in the furthest corner of the station.

"It's the Milano! The orange and blue one in the corner!" Tina described quickly.

Drax and Rocket had collected their old clothing and weapons. Rocket was not happy with how his clothes were folded. "They crumbled my pants up into a ball!"

Drax started sniggering quietly because he was starting to imagine Rocket playing with it like a toy since he was an animal. Rocket felt offended.

"That's rude! They folded yours!"

Peter and Tina spotted the keys for the metal bands around their Guntrins's paws that prevented them from changing size and camouflaging themselves. With a single twist, the locks were unlocked and they fell off. The Guntrins were happy to be free of them.

Peter and Tina collected the box with their belongings from the ranks. They opened and started fishing through everything to make nothing was missing.

Gamora came over to them with her sword and black clothes. She saw the silver orb in Peter's belongings. "The orb's there! Let's go!"

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait! Wait!" Peter started freaking out when he couldn't find his Walkman or his mother's watch.

"I can't find them bro!" Tina freaked out too. "They've taken them!" she couldn't find her Walkman or their mother's necklace.

None of them could leave those objects behind.

"What's been taken?" Gamora asked.

"Tina and I need to go and get them. We can't leave them behind," Peter told her as he and his twins picked up their items. He handed Gamora, his knapsack containing the orb.

"Sorry guys but you two need to go with the others. You won't be able to breathe in space," Tina said sadly.

Meredith and Orlins shook their heads.

"It'll be okay guys," Peter promised. "Just go with Gamora and we'll come as soon as possible.

Reluctantly, Orlins and Meredith jumped into the knapsack.

"Just keep the Milano close by!" Tina ordered. "We'll be quick. Do not leave without us! Now go!"

She and her twin dashed down the corridors with their stuff. Gamora caught up to the others and told them that they were to keep the Milano close by outside the prison.

Peter and Tina dressed up in their outfits, armed with their Quadblasters and their helmets fastened around their faces started walking through the corridors to look for their Walkman's and their mother's pieces of jewellery.

They were attacked by Nova guards but they took them out with electric shocks easy as pie. It was quite fun for them really.

"Ow! My neck!" the last one knocked down whined painfully.

"Oh! Shut it!" Tina shouted electrically shocking him again.

The others positioned the Milano outside not too far from the Kyln. "How are they gonna get to us?!" Rocket demanded.

"They declined to share that information with me," Gamora muttered out loud angrily. Orlins and Meredith growled a bit and they scurried forward to the main pilot's seat.

"You've got the orb right?" Rocket asked.

"Yes," Gamora reached inside Peter's knapsack to get the orb but it wasn't there. "Curses!"

It was revealed that the Quill Twins had taken the orb with them. They decided to split up when they couldn't find their items quick enough.

Peter could hear the guard who tasered them listen to their songs. HE sneaked inside and when the guard turned to him, he bashed on the head with his Quadblaster.

Tina discovered another guard (more human-like) wearing their mother's necklace and watch.

 _Click. Click._

The guard turned right. He gasped.

"Those will be mine," Tina kicked the guard in the abdomen and then swiped him in the face with a flying foot.

The others were getting very impatient. "If we don't leave now, we will be blown to bits!" Rocket shouted.

"Nooooo!" Gamora screamed angrily. "We're not leaving without the orb!"

"I'd rather leave without it then get blasted to smitherins," Drax voted.

"With you there," Rocket tried to touch the controls but Orlins and Tina jumped in front of him on the panel yapping and growling at them.

Drax heard a whooshing noise from outside. He turned and saw two space-masked humans flying towards him. "Behold," he spoke out in wonder.

The hatch of the Milano opened. Gamora and Drax helped Peter and Tina inside. They deactivated their helmets. Peter gave his twin back her Walkman and headphones and in return Tina gave him their mother's watch.

"Those two will make keen allies in the battle against Ronan," Drax breathed out speechlessly.

Meredith and Orlins skittered over and climbed up their bodies back onto their spots on their shoulders. They nuzzled them on the face affectionately.

Gamora was grossed out. "Uggh! I'm gonna puke at the sight of that affection,"

"Come on it's just creature love," Peter replied in some sort of flirty manner.

"Companions – what were you retrieving?" Drax asked curiously.

"These," Tina motioned to their walkmans and pieces of jewellery.

Drax was not impressed. He eyed them tensely. "You both are idiots,"

Orlins and Meredith growled snarlingly at them as their owners walked over to their pilot seats.

Peter sat down in his. Tina retrained her unhappiness with Rocket in her seat. "Out of my seat," she ordered.

"This is my seat now," Rocket refused.

"Don't make Meredith come over there and bite you," Peter warned in mocking manner.

"Orlins will do it way more painfully," Tina added in a soft hissing voice.

"Alright! Fine! Fine!" Rocket scrambled out the seat.


	10. The Journey to Knowwhere

**The Journey to Knowhere:**

The Milano soared through the galaxy with no Nova Ships on their trail nor any other enemy ships pursuing them. The Quill Twins' new friends or more like colleagues settled themselves in seats on the ship. Meredith and Orlins were tired than the others. Peter and Tina tucked them inside some little hammocks near the front. They gave them a quick kiss on the heads, and they cooed to sleep.

Rocket on the one hand, started ripping up parts of the ship.

"Hey! Hey! What do you think you're doing?!" Tina demanded. "You can't tear up this ship like you own!"

"I'm just building stuff," Rocket retorted.

"Is that a bomb?!" Peter pointed to a small bomb near Rocket.

"Yep,"

"And you leave it lying around?" Peter asked with his voice mixed with sarcasm.

"I was goanna put it a box," Rocket pulled open one of the nearby draws.

"And just how is a box supposed to contain its blasting effects?" Tina questioned. She crossed her eyebrows and browned her eyebrows.

"How about this box?" Rocket picked up a red square box with a blue ribbon. "Oh, how about this one?" he picked up another box, but it was blue with dots and a red ribbon.

The faces of the Quill Twins boiled with anger. They didn't ever want anyone to touch them.

"Hey leave them alone!" Tina snatched the presents from Rocket's paws and kicked the draw closed.

"Hey what's with…?" Rocket started to ask.

"Shut up!" Peter ordered.

"What's all this junk for?" Tina pointed at his little mess near the Racoon.

"That's things if you both get really hardcore, or if you both want to blow up moons," Rocket answered still twiddling with all his junk.

"No one's blowing up moons!" Gamora cut in.

"You enjoy sucking the joy out of everything," Rocket muttered angrily.

"Okay my twin and I are going to need your buyer's coordinates," Peter requested off Gamora.

"We already heading in the right direction," Gamora answered holding up the orb.

"Let us know if we need to turn," Tina requested.

"You Gamora, if we're going to work together you might want to try trusting us a little bit," Peter spoke a bit smugly.

"And how much do you two trust me?" Gamora asked a little offended.

"Look we would trust you a lot more if you told us what orb is," Peter replied holding up the orb.

"Is it some kind of weapon?" Tina asked.

"Guys, I don't know what it is," Gamora answered as they all started to gather around the table. "But when we visit my buyer, he should be able to tell us what it is,"

"Until then we should be very careful with it," Tina gently took the orb from her brother's hand and proceeded to put in it in a metal box with a lock.

Drax suddenly snatched it from her hands. "If it's a weapon, we should use it against Ronan," He was eager and ready. He was also growing impatient with having to wait to get a chance to avenge his family.

"Give it back to Tina you fool, or you'll destroy us all," Gamora ordered.

"Or just you Murderess!" Drax shouted.

"I let you live ONCE princess!" Gamora screeched in his face.

"I am not a princess!"

"Enough!" Tina shouted. "Both of you! What are you two? A bunch of kids with grudges against each other for no reason? Why can't you two just get along until all this is over?"

"Tina is right. We're stuck together until we get the money so there'll be no killing on our ship," Peter warned.

Drax merely scoffed off that deal. He tossed the orb into Tina's hands. "I have no interest in money," he stalked away down the corridor.

"Great that means more money for the six of us including Meredith and Orlins here," Peter cheered simply.

"I am Groot!" Groot moaned.

"Of course. Of course. Of course. You get money as well," Tina cheeringly patted Groot on the shoulder. "That means more for the seven of us,"

"No. It's the five of us. Guntrins can't do anything with money," Gamora rejected. "And that's final! Or no money!"

"Fine," Peter puffed out. "Well let's get going partners,"

"We may have an agreement – but I would never be partners with the looks of someone like you," Gamora rejected.

Peter huffed silently.

"I'll tell the buyer we're on our way," Gamora headed up to the radio room to call her buyer.

"Oh. She has no idea," Peter said smiling at everyone else. He noticed his sister giving him a frown. "What?" he held out his arms in surrender.

"I know what you're doing – and it is not acceptable," Tina warned.

"What's not acceptable?" Peter asked naïve to her question.

Tina just stalked away up to the pilot seat.

"You're really got issues Quill Boy," Rocket addressed to Peter.

Yondu and Warran had come to the Broker's Quarters on Xandar. Yondu was cooing at tiny animal and alien figures made of jewels inside the glass display cases. "Have you got any cool figures like these?" he asked enthusiastically when his eyes were set on a sapphire and diamond one. "I'd like to stick them all on my control consul,"

"I can't tell – if you're joking or not," The Broker responded grimly.

"Are you seriously say that?" Warran inquired grimly. His prying grimly eyes made the Broker flinch. The old shrivelled collector decided to give in.

"In that case…" the Broker walked out of his chair, around his desk and up to the Udonta Brothers.

"First, you're going to tell us about this Orb and who else out there might want to buy it. Whoever it is will be where the Quill Twins are going," Yondu was determined to find Peter and Tina as soon as possible.

"Sir – the high-end community…" The Broker started to object but it was cut off by Yondu muttering out an alien language loudly. "Sir – the high-end community…" This time Warran joined with the muttering.

"Sir! I cannot betray the confidentiality of my buyers!" The Broker shouted out. "You don't even know if Mr. and Miss Quill will be there!"

Yondu wouldn't submit to his answer. He started whistling and his arrow hovered out of its holder in front of the Broker's forehead. He whistled more and the arrow forced the wrinkled buyer backwards till his back went into his desk.

"I would give in if I were you," Warran advised grimly as his lips were curved to form a smirk.

"Okay, now where again is this buyer of yours?" Yondu asked.

"He's called the Collector. He lives on Knowwhere," the Broker gave out frantically.

"Thank you," Yondu summoned the arrow back into its holder.

"You will break nothing of this," Warren warned the Broker. "Am I clear?" he leaned further forward so only his prying staring eyes were in the scared collector's sight.

"Yes," he spat out fearfully.

"Good,"

The Udonta brothers left the small building and they set out to find the Quill Twins.

"Come on Warran. We've got to get there and find those trouble-making twins," Yondu said to his brother.

The crew of the Milano piloted it through space for an hour. Peter and Tina were down below cleaning their guns. Meredith and Orlins were munching on some meat and sipping some water.

"You know you really shouldn't this," Tina started as she was polishing the silver edges of her Quadblasters.

"Do what?" Peter obliviously asked.

Tina steered up her head slowly and looked at her older twin with annoyed eyes. "Are you really that oblivious? You are not going to be trying to court that green girl like that. I thought we'd agree we would go our separate ways from her once we get the money,"

"Relax Tinnie," Peter tried to sooth her. "That will happen,"  
"Not if you keep flirting with her,"

"I'm not flirting with her,"

 _Yes. You are._

Peter noticed Meredith was staring at him with unimpressed eyes. "What?"

Meredith turned her head to make her hard-glaring eyes stare deeper into his consciousness.

"Look Peter…" Tina captured his attention again. "I'm only trying to help you. I just want what's best for you. I just believe it's not necessary for you to act like this. We're adults and we have to act our ages. Okay?" Tina's whole heartful words seemed to freeze her brother in place. Whilst a part of him felt annoyed, another part of him felt unsure. "Can't you just try to understand it? Or everything we've been through?"

The younger twin walked up to the control room. Meredith and Orlins totted up after her. Peter turned his attention away from her and slumped back on his seat. He was really uncomfortable with her talking to him like this as if he was still a child.

A moment later, Rocket's voice called: "We're inbound!"

Peter walked up to the control room to get a look at where they had arrived at. Drax, Groot and Gamora were in the extra seats whilst Tina and Rocket (much to Peter's jealously) were in the pilot seats. Tina had the main control over the ship, and she was steering the Milano skilfully.

Outside the window, their lines of vision captured the image of a ginormous gigantic skull surrounded by spaces clouds of limey and slimy greens.

"Woah," Peter breathed out breathlessly.

"It's – amazing," Tina breathed out too.

Meredith and Orlins's bottom jaws hung down and their tongues rolled out over the edges.

"What is it?" Drax wondered out loud.

"It's called Knowwhere. The severed head of an ancient Celestial Being," Gamora explained. "Being careful where you land Tina. There are no regulations what's ever,"

"You got it G,"

"Don't call me G,"

"Yeah Tinnie, don't call Gamora G," Peter supported.

Everyone looked and eyed Peter tensely, except Tina of course who just steered the ship through one of the electric eyes of the head.

"What?" Peter asked confused and naïve to what the others were implying.

Inside the severed head lay civilization with buildings, pods and strange work areas down below. Tina took the Milano to one of the landing ports and she stopped the engine once it was safely landed. They all headed out and began to follow Gamora through the work areas towards the Collector's Headquarters.


	11. Waiting for the Collector

**Waiting for the Collector:**

"Hundreds of years ago. The Tivan Group sent colonies to mine the organic matter within the skull," Gamora began to explain as they started following her through the streets towards the Collector's whereabouts. "Bone. Brain tissue. Spinal Fluid. All rare resources highly valued in black markets across the galaxy. It's dangerous and illegal work, suitable only for outlaws,"

"You know Gamora…my sister and I come from a planet of outlaws," he attempted to impress her much to his sister's chagrin as well as Meredith's on his shoulder. Around his neck, she just shifted her head to face Orlins. "Billy the Kid. Bonnie and Clyde, John Stamos,"

"Sounds like a place that I think one should visit," Tina injected in before her twin could say another name.

"Sounds like I've got a planet to visit on my Planets to Visit list," Drax spoke out.

The group were heading down the main street towards the Headquarters of Gamora's buyer. As they did, a group of kids came dashing down in a bit of clumsy manner. "Can you spare any units?" a poor boy begged for money.

Groot opened his palm outwards and a flower grew and bloomed out of it. He plucked it off with his other hand and offered it to the other girl. She took it with a smile.

"Get out of here!" Peter refused to distribute some his money. He frowned when he saw Tina digging into her knapsack and giving a little boy and his sister them a large purse of money.

She stroked the little boy's head and wiped away the little girll's small tears. They suddenly hugged her and then scurried away with the rest of their friends.

Tina felt discomfort able seeing Peter eye her disapprovingly. "What? Those children are poor,"

"We're criminals remember?" Peter reminded.

"We may be. But that doesn't mean we have to act unkindly,"

"Your buyer's in there?" Rocket glumly referred to a rusty looking building where ruffians and thugs were being pushed out.

"We are to wait here for his representative," Gamora told them.

"What are we supposed to do as we wait?!" Drax whined angrily.

"Quit whining Drax!" Tina snapped, exasperated with his tone. "There are plenty of things for one to do whilst they wait,"

"Such as?" Drax drove on.

Tina sighed, unable to contain her growing temper at that half-naked tattooed man. "Can you stop asking questions?" she faced him with furrowed eyebrows.

Drax was silenced.

"Thank you,"

They entered inside and they were inside a huge bar with a long metal table with racing Orlonis trying to reach the other end without getting devoured by a much larger one and there were bars where they could water, juice and alcohol.

"Let's go for a drink," Tina suggested.

"I'm goanna go outside," Gamora excused herself to a balcony outside to have some privacy to drift on her own thoughts.

Peter watched her dreamily. His twin noticed and she puffed out through her nostrils in annoyance. "Earth to Peter. Stop making goo-goo eyes at that girl. I'm keeping an eye on you so come on," She pulled Peter away by the wrist towards the bar.

Drax, Rocket, Groot and Tina bought some water. Meredith jumped from her position on Peter's shoulder and made her way over to Rocket's cup of water. She started licking it much to his anger.

"Hey! That's my water!" he ranted.

Meredith yapped at him with her teeth.

"Okay honey. You have it. I'll just get another one. Hey! More water if you please!" the racoon demanded to the drink giver. As he waited, he couldn't help but admire the way Meredith was licking up the water like a puppy.

"You're so beautiful when you drink," he cooed with dreamy eyes.

A hard cough to the throat made him look at Peter with his eyebrows crossed. "Don't even think about it," he warned.

"Think about what?" Rocket asked innocently.

Peter didn't do anything but stare at him.

"Come on! I'm just chatting with her!" Rocket protested disgraced with his manner.

"Remember just a chat," Peter warned.

"Okay. Okay. Okay," Rocket held up his paws in surrender.

"Hey! I've got a joke for you guys," Tina was desperate to ask one.

Groot and Rocket looked at questionably. Peter just turned away as he knew what she was going to say.

"What do you call a three-humped camel?" she asked.

Rocket and Groot blinked at her confusedly.

"You're supposed to say: 'I don't know,' Then you ask: 'What do you call a three-humped camel?' Then I say the answer," Tina explained. "Come on let's start again. What do you call a three-humped camel?"

"I don't know. What do you call a three humped camel?' Rocket asked uneasily.

"I am Groot. I am Groot?" Groot asked over in his language.

"Pregnant," Tina burst out laughing as she started clapping the table as she laughed hysterically. Rocket and Groot just stared at her blinking as if she had gone crazy. Peter took the chance to slip away from his sister's watchful gaze. He didn't take Meredith to come knowing it would give him away and he wanted to be alone. Tina halted when she saw Rocket and Groot's expressions. "You don't get what I mean do you,"

"Not a clue," Rocket shook his head.

"I am Groot," Groot gave in.

"Why don't we go and watch the Orloni game?" Tina offered. They made their way over to the board to watch the biggest one devouring all the smaller ones who tried to get from one side to another. Meredith trailed behind them and grew up to a bigger size in order to perch up like a dog to observe the game playing. She took her place besides Rocket.

Drax was shouting "Yes! Yes!" He was rather enjoying the game.

"Yah Hoo!" Rocket cheered with his cup.

Orlins was feeling parched. He tried to lean down his head and lick her water. But she noticed and pulled it away.

"Orlins…don't you even think about it," she shook her head.

She noticed that her brother had disappeared and wasn't with them. She growled and instantly thought of where he was. She made her way through the crowd and looked at Peter chatting with a silent Gamora.

"What am I goanna do Orlins?" she murmured out her thoughts. "He's so easily distracted with people,"

Orlins croaked comfort and nuzzled her face.

"What would I do without you Orlins?" she asked as she held him in her arms and kissed his head.

Suddenly they both heard a scuffle and lappering. Tina twisted her head and saw Drax and Groot chocking one another at each other's throats. "Hey! Stop that!" she shouted dashing towards them only to get blocked by obstacles of guests and tired workers in red suits stained with spinal fluids around the leg holes.

Groot wrapped his vine arms about Drax's neck, and he started struggling for air. Drax was stronger. He broke the vine arms and prepared to punch Groot really hard. Tina kept squeezing through the crowd shouting at him to "Stop!" but the cheering was too loud.

Luckily Gamora got there in time and pulled Drax's fist back. "Stop it!"

"Whoa, whoa, what you both doing?!" Peter shouted loudly getting in there too.

This vermin speaks of affairs he knows nothing about!" Drax snapped.

"Vermin?!" Rocket ranted violently. "Vermin?! Well everything you say is true!"

"He doesn't respect me! He pries into my life!" Drax confessed violently.

"That is also true!"

"You two need a time out!" Tina ordered after finally reaching the group. "Just calm down the both of you and apologise to one another!"

Orlins jumped of her shoulders in front of Rocket and started snapping at him.

"How can you defend that maniac and make me apologise to him?! He called me vermin! He just wants me to be the laughingstock of this planet!"

"Rocket, will you just calm down please?!" Tina inquired exasperatedly. "You're drunk okay? No one is laughing at you,"

"Yes, they are! And they call me names!" Rocket shouted in tears. "I didn't ask to get made. I didn't ask to get called Vermin by him!" he pointed hurtfully at Drax and then at Gamora. "I didn't ask to get called Rodent by her! All I am to everyone is a monster!"

"Rocket, no one is calling you a monster," Peter interjected into his rants.

"Well he is! And I'm goanna shoot that ugly face of his!" he pointed his gun at Drax. Drax would have renegaded on him if it hadn't been for Gamora holding him with all her strength.

"No! Stop! Stop! Stop! Stop!" Tina hollered out. "This is not getting us anywhere! That's enough fighting for one day!"

"Tina's right. We're here for money. Four billion units! Remember Rocket!" Peter reminded abruptly. "Just calm down! Suck in that anger for one more night and you're rich,"

Meredith looked at Rocket with soft sweet eyes facially expressing her desire for him to stop and stay calm.

"We have travelled, halfway across the quadrant. And Ronan is nowhere closer to getting killed!" Drax impatiently ranted. He pushed through the crowd and out of the bar.

"Drax! Come on!" Peter called after him attempting to go after him to try and reason with him.

"Let him go," Gamora stopped him. "We don't need him,"

"All that buffoon cares about is his revenge and he's so hard to put up with," Tina groaned angrily through tight shut teeth.

A hatch suddenly opened revealing a beautiful pink alien girl with ruby bunches in a short white dress and silver bracelets and shoes. "Milady Gamora," her voice drifted off at the last syllable of her name in a dreamy tone. "I am here to fetch you for my master,"

Gamora led the group to follow the group. Tina and Peter were at the back with their Guntrins on their shoulders. Before they trailed behind the others at the end, Tina pulled Peter to a corner much to his discomfort.

"Peter, what did you do out there?" she demanded.

"Nothing," Peter shook his head innocently. "Now we have a buyer to see and money to get remember?" he tried to walk away but Tina pulled him back to meet her face.

"Don't try to give me the slip. I know when you're lying," Tina shot back with sharp eyes. "So you tell me what you did,"

"I might of – sort of – tried to kiss Gamora," he whispered in her ear.

 _SMACK_

"Ow!" Peter screamed pressed his hand against his left cheek. "What was that for?"

"That was for being stupid!" Tina lashed out poking a sharp finger to his chin. "You tried to kiss Gamora?! I can't believe you bro! You're such a womanizer,"

"Hey! Something was just happening between us,"

"No. No. No. No. No. Nothing was happening between you and that woman," Tina dismissed his claims. "You just wanted to kiss her for the sheer fun of it. And haven't you realised that maybe she isn't interested in you. I thought we made it clear back at the Kyln that once we get the money, we'll go our separate ways from her. Don't you ever think before you act?"

"Will you stop treating me like a child?" Peter whined angrily at her.

"Maybe I would if you started acting like one," she scoffed off pushing him back. She turned and stomped off to trail after the others through the hatch.

Peter growled and stomped after her. As he did, Meredith wacked him in the face with her tail. "What now you're one her side now?" he questioned deeply affected. Meredith gave him the cold shoulder and refused to meet her eyes to his.

He just huffed through a stiff throat continued on his way.


	12. The CollectorHistory of Infinity Stones

**The Collector / the History of the Infinity Stones:**

The young servant girl known as Carina led the group inside. They found themselves in a giant room filled with stacks and stacks of display cases housing thousands of different species.

"We house the Galaxy's largest collections of fauna, relics and species of all manner,"

Rocket walked by an exhibit showing a dog in an astronaut suit. It growled manically at him. Then he growled back. Tina pulled him away to keep out of trouble.

"I present to you all Taneleer Tivan, the Collector," Carina introduced to a white-haired man with small grey eyes and shuffled check bones. He was downed in a red suit with a white furry back and chains of beads hanging from his buttons.

"Oh, my dear Gamora," he chanted amusingly holding up her hand to kiss it. "How wonderful to meet you at last,"

Tina noticed Peter staring jealously at him. "Somebody is jealous," she sang quietly in a whispering voice.

"Shut up," Peter whispered back.

"We have what we discussed," Gamora said over to him as he pressed his soft marked lips to her fingers.

"What is that thing?" he was staring dreamily at Groot.

"I am Groot" Groot greeted.

Taneleer intrigued with the sight of that planet giant stalked towards him very slowly. "I have never met a Groot. You must allow me to pay you now so that I may own your carcass. Once you die of course,"

"First of all, Mr. Tivan, that is disgusting," Tina grimaced standing in front of Groot protectively. "Second, a carcass is not something nice to have as a collection on display,"

"Do you want him to be your fricken chair?" Rocket asked Tivan.

"That's your pet?" Tivan asked Groot not meeting Tina's eyes at all.

Rocket lashed out and reached for his gun. "You're calling me a pet?"

"Easy Rocket," Tina pressed her hand on his shoulder.

"Tivan…" Gamora stood between the Trio and the Collector. "We have been halfway around the Galaxy retrieving this Orb. This is what we have come to discuss,"

"Show what you have brought," Tivan looked at Gamora.

She gestured to Peter who offered it to Tivan. Tivan took it slowly. He strapped the orb inside a machine that would pull the two halves open. "Oh my new friends…before Creation itself – there were seven singularities," he pulled a lever and the orb layers started to get loosened and opened apart. As they did, holograms circles appeared around their heads to show images of what Tivan's words would teach.

"Then the universe exploded into existence, and the remnants of these systems were forged into concentrated ingots,"

The circle images showed beautiful stones. Their colours were ruby, orange, gold, green, blue, purple and white.

"Infinity Stones. These stones can only be used by beings who possess extraordinary strength," The collector shifted his gaze upwards. The watchers followed his line of vision to watch the image of a Celestial Being using the purple stone in his staff. "These carriers can use this stone known as the Power Stone to destroy entire civilizations like wheat in a field," The carrier in the image stomped his staff on the ground and instantly the civilisation was consumed by a descriptive way of purple power that disintegrated their entire planet.

"There's a little pee coming out of me right now," Peter muttered.

Tina grimaced at his words. _What is it with him and his words?_

"There was a time when a group were able to share the energy amongst themselves," Tivan showed an image of an alien sharing the burden of the destructive Stone's power through linkages in a circle. "But even they were quickly destroyed by it," They burst into dust and smoke.

The orb finished unravelling its final layer display the purple Power Stone that looked like a small purple jewel.

"Beautiful. Beyond compare," Tivan admired in his slow steady voice as his arms vibrated with excitement.

"Blah. Blah. Blah," Rocket interrupted his admiring moment. "We're all very fascinated Whitey," he made his arms shake to mimic Tivan's action. "But we'd like to get paid," he had grown increasingly impatient with all this waiting. He just wanted to get his money and get out of there with Groot.

"How would you like to get paid?" Tivan asked gently as the images disappeared.

"What do you think Fancy Man? Units!" Rocket rudely demanded as the Collector lead them over to a draw.

Rocket noticed Tina crossing her arms and him and Orlins was frowning.

"What?" he asked innocently.

"You are one rude racoon," Tina commented. "Since when did you learn manners?"

Carina was staring at the Power Stone. She stepped up to it very slowly. Tivan caught his servant actions. "Carina! Stand back!" he ordered.

"I will no longer be your slave!" Carina shouted. "I'm tired of you and your abusive treatment to me! No more!"

"No!" Tivan wailed.

But it was too late. Carina had already grabbed the Stone. The moment she gripped the purple Infinity Stone, bursts of destructive energy shot out and started creating chaos admits the group.

Gamora pushed Peter and herself into a small pit to take cover. Tivan fell backwards. Orlins grew big and held Tina close to his chest to protect her behind some display cases. Groot grabbed a scared Rocket and dashed out.

Carina's body started crumbling like a crisp as violent violet energy coursed through her veins. Suddenly she exploded sending a blast of energy across the building. All went black for a while.

A minute later, Peter, Meredith and Gamora came out from their hiding place and looked up. Carina was gone. Sparks were flying everywhere from jammed systems. The show cases were destroyed. The floor was covered with pieces of metal, grubble and dust.

"What the…" Peter was interrupted by a blast.

Orlins released Tina was his grip and shook all the dust and pieces of grabble of his back.

Tina coughed and coughed. She instantly saw the Collector covered in dust and pieces of rock on his back on the floor. She dashed forward to help him up. "Are you all right sir?"

Tivan coughed. "I'm okay," Her heart sank deep when he saw his entire museum ruined and so many of his artefacts of fauna and flora either escaped or destroyed. "My museum," he bigheartedly sank on his knees.

"I'm sorry Mr. Tivan," Tina apologised understanding how much it all meant to him.

Gamora instantly dashed forward to the stone and closed the orb halves over it. Tivan wasn't the one to keep it safe.


	13. Attacked

**Attacked by Ronan and captured by the Ravangers:**

"How could I think Tivan could contain whatever was within the orb?!" Gamora cursed herself for thinking stupidly as she walked outside.

Rocket and Groot stood up, incredibly shaken by what they had just witnessed.

Tina and the Guntrins dashed over to them. "Are you guys okay?" Tina asked.

"I am Groot," Groot answered.

"I'll take that as a yes,"

"I'm fine. I'm fine. I'm fine," Rocket shook the dust from his suit. Meredith unexpectantly nuzzled his face and licked a blood station he had received from the incident.

Rocket was surprised by her comforting affection. She had never acted this way before. Before he could even smile and thank her, he suddenly panicked when he saw Gamora still carrying the orb. "What do you still have it for?!" he demanded childishly.

"What are we goanna do?! Leave in there?!" Peter demanded.

"I can't believe you had that in your purse!"

"It's not a purse. It's a knapsack," Peter snapped.

"We have to bring this to the Nova Corp," Gamora decided. "There's a chance they can contain it,"

"Are you crazy?!" Rocket demanded. "The moment we sent foot on Xander; they'll arrest us. I say we just give it to Ronan and forget about it,"

"Ah yeah sure! Give Ronan of a stone of destructive power and he destroys Xander and who knows where else!" Tina ranted sarcastically. "That is not goanna happen! Not on my watch!" her case was confirmed by her pointed finger flicking up and down with every short punchy sentence.

"Why do you care? What has the galaxy ever done for you?!" Rocket demanded. "Why would you want to save it?!"

"Because I live in it! So do innocent people who don't deserve to die!" Tina shouted.

Meredith growled at Rocket for thinking only of himself.

Peter hadn't said anything for a while. Gamora turned to him with begging eyes. "Peter, your sister is right. We cannot allow this stone to fall into Ronan's hands. We have to go back to your ship, and deliver it to the Nova Corp,"

"Okay. Okay. You're right," Peter agreed. Then he said something stupidly. "Or we can give it to someone who is not going to arrest us…" he began as he gently took the orb from Gamora, who's really nice for a whole lot of money,"

"Are you insane?!" Tina demanded. "We are not giving this to anyone for money! We're giving it to the Nova Corp! End of discussion!"

"You are despicable. Dishonourable. And faithless!" she slapped his face.

"Oww!" Peter squealed painfully.

"Do you even hear yourself?!" Tina demanded, gripping his attention back by snatching the orb from his hands. "Who do you think you are?!"

"Stop treating me like you're my mum!"

"Why don't you start acting your age?!"

"Stop bickering you two!" Gamora ordered trying to stop them.

"You're just a selfish narcissist!" Tina shouted poking Peter in the chest.

"Well you're a terrible sister! You know what? I wish you weren't my sister!" Peter's word visibly stabbed a hole into Tina's fragile heart.

Gamora punched Peter in the shoulder and started leading an upset Tina away with the Orb. The other boys watched as they walked away. Meredith jumped off Peter's shoulders and blew a raspberry at him. She began to bound after the girls and Orlins.

"Hey, you okay?" Gamora asked as she noticed Tina's eyes were wetting up and they had already begun to fall down her face.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she shook her head.

Suddenly before Gamora could offer more comfort to Tina, they heard the whirling whooshing sound of ship engines.

"Oh no," Gamora gasped as they saw Necro ships appeared in front of their eyes. They were Ronan's ships.

"What the…?" Tina breathed out getting distracted from her moment of crying.

"At last!" Drax jeered loudly as he was standing amongst the crowd with his daggers raised up to the air. "I shall meet my foe and destroy him!"

"You called Ronan?!" Peter shouted angrily behind everyone else.

The ships landed.

"Could this get any worse?" Tina muttered.

Just after she said that, Yondu, Warren and some of their henchmen appeared just around the corner. "Quill Twins!" Yondu shouted bitterly. "Don't you both move!"

"Oh dear," Peter murmured loudly.

"Me and my big mouth," Tina muttered loudly.

"This way!" Gamora pulled Tina towards a corner that led to a parking area for mining pods. The boys followed after them.

The girls boarded separate pods. Since they were small enough, Meredith and Orlins boarded with Tina. Peter entered one as well. So did Rocket. Groot tried to but Rocket stopped him. "You can't fit! Now wait here! I'll be back!"

The pods took off but minutes later, Nebula and Vamos leading some Necroships trailed after them.

Nebula scanned the pods with her screen. The furthers one containing Tina and the Guntrins had the orb. "The orb is in the furthest pod! Bring it down!"

Her ship as well as one carrying her adoptive brother started shooting at Tina.

"Tina!" Gamora called. "They're shooting at you!"

Tina steered her pod through gaps and spaces as she started to play a game of chase with them.

"We need to keep them off Tina's tail until she gets to the Milano," Peter ordered through his com.

"But how are we're going to blast them? We've got no guns on these pods!" Rocket ranted.

"These pods are industrial grade. They're nearly indestructible," Peter called back.

"Not against Necroblasts Peter!" Tina shouted unforgivably at him for what he said back there.

"Look Tina…" Peter attempted to say.

"Don't say anything!" Tina snapped back. "Once this is over, we're going our separate ways!"

"Tina just please listen!" Peter begged.

But Tina silenced his begging by pushing her pods engine and shooting further.

"You are goanna owe your sister a big apology Peter," Gamora sneered through her com. "I've got an idea to deal with the pods,"

She steered her pod to ram into a Necroship.

"Gamora!" Peter shouted in fear. She may be mad at him, but he still cared for her.

But instead of blasting apart, Gamora's pod rammed easily into the enemy's pod and it crashed and blasted.

"Wow! Now that looks fun!" Rocket spoke amusingly. He released a battle cry as he rammed his pod into two ships that crashed into some platforms. He was finding this so fun.

Tina was struggling to shake the Necroblasts off her tail. They were making it difficult for her to reach the Milano.

Rocket cheered and kept taking more blasts.

Gamora eyes widened when she eyed three of those ships shooting at Tina.

"Nebula! Stop!" she shouted through her com and she raced to chase after her friend whilst Peter took the reaming few down when he had used his pod to take control of a Necroship. "Don't do this!"

"You are a disappointment sister!" Nebula hissed. "I hated you the most out of all our siblings. Even more than Vamos,"

"Please Nebula! If Ronan gets that stone, he'll kill us all!"

"Not all! Because I'm goanna kill you first!" Nebula started playing Chase and shoot game with her sister by turning her pod and chasing Gamora off in a different direction away from everyone else. Gamora kept dodging left and right and right and left but she couldn't shake Nebula off her tail.

Rocket saw Vamos's pod about to shoot Tina. His eyes widened at the thought of Meredith inside with Tina and Orlins getting killed. "Oh no you're don't!" he yelled. He charged at Vamos but Vamos's pod quickly turned right and shot at his pod.

He was struck and he was sent flying downwards. The pod landed and crashed into flames of fire.

"Nooooooo!" Tina shouted seeing the fire behind her. Meredith and Orlins growled in anger, but they had not time to mourn for their supposedly fallen friend. Neither did Peter still behind them.

Vamos in his pod was rearing in on Tina with two others by her side. They closed in her.

Tina was barely having any luck in shaking them off her tail. Soon she found herself skidding in her pod against a large rock wall. "Grrrr!" she growled feeling as though she might blow up any moment.

"Guys! I'm trapped! I have to head out!" Tina shouted.

"Tina! No!" Peter shouted. "These things aren't meant to go out there!"

Tina wouldn't listen and kept on going on. But once she was metres away from the skull's entrance, the engines started to disfunction.

Still away from the skirmish, Gamora still couldn't shake off her sister. She suddenly saw an idea. She rammed her pod through a small gap of a giant metal platform. Nebula tried to follow her but couldn't as it was too small. Her only option was to shoot threw. She pressed a button and fired a blast. But it just narrowly missed Gamora.

Nebula circled back around to try and catch her but Gamora had disappeared.

With her sister off her trail, Gamora flew her pod up to join the Quill Twins.

Vamos smirked as he saw the pod containing the orb slow down. "Don't think you can hide missy!" Vamos called on her through the com.

Tina repeatedly pressed the pedals to make the pod fly further but it was no use. She felt her chest bulging in and out as her heart thundered against its walls with fear.

"You should have listened! Now you die," Vamos snarled venomously.

'Blast'

BOOM!

"Nooooooo!" Peter cried. He eyed his sister in horror as she floated out of space. She had cuts and blood stains all over her face and arms. The Guntrins floated around as well. They could breathe in space, but poor Tina couldn't.

Orlins tried to press onto her helmet behind her ear, but it was broken, damaged from the blast.

"Peter come on," Gamora said over to her. "We have to go. We have to regroup back with the others and get the orb back. Come on," she turned her pod and started flying back with regret.

Peter didn't move. He couldn't lose his only family left, as well as his dearest companions who stood by him and her twin since they were young.

"Damm it," he cursed. He turned on the radio in his pod.

Further behind, Gamora had noticed, Peter hadn't followed her. "Peter?"

"Yondu! Warren! If you can hear me this is Peter! My coordinates are 227K324. Just outside Knowwhere. If you're there, come and get me! I'm all yours," Peter clicked onto his helmet and it wrapped around his head. He opened his pod and flew over to Tina. She was seconds away from dying.

"Peter don't! Get back in your pod!" Gamora shouted. "You'll die in seconds!"

But Peter took off his helmet cutting her off. He clipped it to Tina's face side, and it wrapped around her face saving her. His heart leaped as he heard her breathing. Lights suddenly appeared all around them and Peter saw Ravanger ships surrounding them. He faced forward and saw the biggest ship of them appeared before them with Yondu, Warren and Kraglin looking out a giant glass window.

Yondu pressed a button and a swarming swirl of energy sucked the twins and their Guntrins inside it like a mouth sucking in air.

Gamora could only look in horror.

* * *

The four new prisoners were dropped inside a large metal pit. Once they landed inside, Peter fell off unconscious from lack of air.

Tina breathed and started coughing a bit, so she deactivated the mask. She cringed in pain from her injuries as she sat up pressing her hand against her head. She observed her surroundings and her eyes widened at seeing Peter's body. His skin was pale, and his eyes and lips were motionless and frozen. "Peter!" she gasped loudly. "Wake up!" she shook him but no good came out of it, "Wake up! Wake up!"

He didn't move. She started to cry.

Meredith and Orlins slouched on their bellies and nuzzled one another for comfort.

Peter suddenly burst up coughing and coughing.

"You're alive!" Tina squealed with tears of joy. Meredith and Orlins jumped about for joy and licked his face.

The twins gripped one another into a tight hug and their Guntrins nuzzled their faces.

"Oh Tina, I am so sorry for what I said back in Knowhere," Peter apologised. "I'm sorry for everything. I do need you more than anything,"

"I'm sorry as well," Tina placed his hand against her heart. "I shouldn't have said the things I said as well. I'm sorry I acted so unsisterly. I was treating you like I was your mum when I should have treated you like a sister,"

"It's okay," Peter assured.

"Where's the orb?" Tina suddenly realised she didn't have it on her.

"They got the orb," Peter confessed.

"What?"

Before their conversation could continue further, the metal frame of doors opened revealing a group of angry looking Ravangers.

* * *

Rocket's eyes flickered. He cringed with pain as he got up. He was bruised all over. He got himself up and pressed his wounded shoulder with his right paw. It was bleeding and would badly leave a scorch mark. All he could see around him were piles of metal and junk from his destroyed pod. It was a miracle that he had managed to survive. He remembered Groot and managed to make his way back to where he left his buddy.

He saw Groot reliving a poorly beaten Drax of spinal fluid in his lungs.

Groot heard him approaching and gasped at seeing how dreary and wounded he was. Groot held Rocket in his paws.

"Come on pal! I'm fine!" Rocket protested weakly. "I don't need a hug,"

"I am Groot," Groot protested.

"Put me down! Please?" Rocket begged angrily.

Begrudgingly against his instincts, Groot put the poor not-want to-have-a-hug racoon back on his shaking paws.

They heard the roaring of engines and a pod landing near them.

"That idiot!" Gamora shouted stomping out of the pod "Peter just got himself and Tina captured by an army of space pirates,"

Groot and Rocket were shocked. Drax, covering in yellow gooey spinal fluid and lying on his side, was ashamed.

"This is all your fault!" Rocket shouted pointing at Drax. "None of this ever would have happened if you didn't try to singlehandedly TAKE ON A FREAKING ARMY!"

Drax could not retort back. Rocket was right. "You're right. I was a fool. And all the RAGE…" he looked at everyone except Groot behind him in shame. "…was just to cover my loss,"

Groot could not feel anger towards him. He only felt sympathy. He placed a comforting arm shoulder.

"Drax, whatever loss you had you didn't deserve," Gamora sternly said to him whilst attempting to stay calm. "But it doesn't excuse what your stupidity has done,"

"Gamora's right. Everybody's got dead people. That's no excuse to get everyone else dead!" Rocket snapped.

"Guys…Ronan has the stone. We have to stop him. But first we have to rescue Peter and Tina,"

"We can't go and rescue them! Not with a whole army of Ravangers surrounding them,"

"Rocket! Those Ravangers will kill them. I am not going to let that happen. You wouldn't either," Gamora's words dug deep into his consciousness.

"I know they're the only friends we've ever had but the five of us can't take on those Ravangers,"

"Six," Drax added in himself as he stood up.

Rocket growled and started kicking the dirt and grass in anger. "You're making me beat up GRASS!"

"Come on guys. Peter and Tina need us now," Gamora walked away and the others followed behind her. "To the Milano,"

"So how exactly are we goanna get them back?" Drax asked.

Gamora stopped in her tracks in silence. What could they do? Her eyes suddenly captured a glimpse of some red suited aliens. An idea formed in her brain.


	14. Hope A plan to save Xandar

**Hope - A Plan to save Xandar:**

Vamos had given the silver orb to Ronan. The two of them with Nebula and Korath had Thanos onto the gigantic hologram screen.

"The orb is in my possession as promised," Ronan addressed to the Mad Titan.

"Bring it to me!" Thanos ordered.

"Yes. That was our agreement. Bring you the Orb and you will destroy Xandar for me," Ronan said. "But…" he eyed the orb with an admired look. "Now that I know it contains an Infinity Stone, I think I'll do the job myself,"

"Boy!" Thanos warned. "I would reconsider your course of action!"

But Ronan ignored him and tore the orb in half revealing the glowing stone of infinite power burning purple inside.

"Master! You cannot!" Korath protested. "Thanos is the most powerful being in the universe!"

"Not anymore!" Ronan declared.

"Why you…" Vamos started.

Before he could do anything, Ronan touched the Power Stone and his body was consumed by swarms of purple energy coursing through his veins and floating around his body.

He suddenly pressed the stone inside his war hammer, and he was free from its destructive power.

Vamos suddenly charged at him but Ronan gave him a mighty swing to the face and he was knocked down. HE wasn't dead but his head was scortched by the burning blow of that stone inside such a heavy strong-headed weapon.

"You call me BOY?!" Ronan shrieked at Thanos. "I will destroy Xandar myself and burn it to its core. Then I am coming for you," he snarled at Thanos. The screen switched off.

"After Xandar, you're going to kill my father? And my brother?" Nebula asked as she was shocked by Ronan's betrayal to her family.

"You dare to oppose me?" Ronan demanded.

"You see what he has turned me into. You kill him and I will help you destroy a thousand planets," Nebula confirmed, stating her case and choosing a new side.

"What do we do with him?" Korath asked gesturing to the knocked-down Vamos.

"Lock him up," Ronan ordered. "Once Xandar is destroyed, I will have Thanos as I destroy him with the stone,"

* * *

On board the gigantic quarters of the Udonta Ravanger clan, Yondu was giving the poor Quill Twins a violent shrieking lecture.

"You guys betrayed me?!" Yondu shouted in their faces. "Steal my money?!"

"Yondu, it was my idea!" Peter shouted. "Punish me! Not Tina!"

Yondu started beating punching Peter in the chest and the abdomen.

"Stop it!" Tina shouted struggling from her tight-handed captors. "Leave him alone!"

Meredith and Orlins growled in their shared cage surrounded by the same bars that emitted off the same energy on their previous paw-cuffs that would stop them from changing size. Taser face was cackling cruelly at the scene.

Yondu stopped hitting Peter and his attention to Tina. "When I picked you and your brother up as kids…" he tightly took hold of her chin, "…these boys wanted to eat you two. They never tasted Terran before. I saved both your lives!"

"Shut up! SHUT UP!" Tina shouted so loudly, it actually made some of the Ravangers' ear drums tinge with pain. "Stop lecturing us with the same story you told us for twenty-six bloody years! You act like we're supposed to be grateful to you! But we are NOT!"

"You stole us from our home and from our family!" Peter finished with fury. "You turned into criminals! You made us do your dumb dirty work!"

"You soft-hearted twins are scared!" Yondu ranted. "Here! Right here!" he pressed his blue hands against their chests.

"Yondu!" Tina shouted realising there was something. "Listen to us! Ronan has an Infinity Stone!"

"I know what he's got Teenie," Yondu scoffed uncaringly with an unkind face.

"Then you know we must get it back! He's going to use it wipe out Xandar!"

"Billions of innocent people will perish if we don't do something!" Peter shouted, finally taking on board the responsibility that they had much to his sister's surprise.

Yondu was not moved. Neither was Warren or Kraglin or any of the other Ravangers. Yondu stared tensely with torturing eyes into the twins' souls. "That's it!" he unravelled his Yaka arrow with a whistle and pointed it at Peter.

"No!" Tina shouted. "Don't do this!"

"Don't shout Teenie! You're joining him as well," Yondu's words were confirmed by the Yaka arrow pointing at her neck as well.

"So sorry kids but this captain has gotta teach his crew what happens to those who cross him and his crew,"

"You kill us now…" Peter began cocking up a plan that Tina could see in his eyes. "Then it's goodbye to the orb!"

"I'd listen if I were you," Tina continued playing along.

Yondu slowly turned around. His eyes furrowed and he sneered showing his hissing teeth. "No one can take down Ronan,"

"We know someone who knows him. His ships, his army, how he thinks." Peter said thinking about Gamora.

"My twin is never wrong. Kill us and you'll never find her. And by her we mean Gamora, the deadliest woman in the galaxy,"

"What do you say Yondu?" Peter asked humorously. "All of us take him downside by side like the good old days?"

"Or you can pierce our throats with their piercing arrow of yours and it's goodbye orb. Your call," Tina smirked with her curled up lips.

Yondu considered for a moment. He turned around. He turned to his brother for support. Warren was considered to be the smartest of the two. He was once believed to be the best one to be the leader of the Ravanger

"Let them go," Yondu ordered as he started laughing. The whole room suddenly burst into hysterical laughter.

Warren twisted his head to Taserface and clicked his fingers. Taserface growled angrily and under Warren's warning gaze unlocked the cage. The freed Guntrins leapt out and scurried into the Quill's arms, showing their faces with kisses.

Suddenly there was a ginormous blast that rattled the Ravangers on their feet. They ran to the west wide of the ship and looked out the glass front. They turned to see the Milano hovering metres away.

"Nothing's damaged Captain!" the lookout assured.

"Attention Ravangers!" a certain furious voice shouted. It was Gamora. "We have come for Peter and Tina Quill! We have captured some of your inmates that you carelessly left behind on Knowwhere!"

"What the…" Warren breathed out.

"If you don't hand over the Quills and their companions over now…I'm goanna slice their necks open in front of your eyes. Do you really want to take that chance Yondu?" Gamora dared. "The chance of your reputation being tarnished by how you would allow your own crew members to get killed on your hands,"

"Or far more fun!" Rocket blurted out hysterically. "Drax is goanna blast you with a weapon on my own design called the Hadron Enforcer!"

"No Rocket! No! That wasn't the plan!" Gamora shouted feeling embarrassed.

"No guys, stop!" Peter called through the coms.

"Guys! We've figured out! We're fine!" Tina shouted.

"Oh, hey guys? What's going on?" Rocket asked awkwardly.

* * *

The group were in a private room. Yondu had agreed to give them exactly half an hour to think of a plan. If they didn't, he'd kill them all. His patience was ver thin.

"You call that figured it out?!" Rocket demanded. "We? A bunch of criminals and whole army of other criminals taking on the guys who just attacked us? That is senseless,"

"Oh, you wanna talk about senseless?" Tina answered. "About trying to save us two by blowing us up?"

"Yeah! Now that is senseless!" Peter agreed sarcastically.

"We were only going to blow to guys up if they didn't turn you over!"

"Rocket! That was not the plan you idiot!" Gamora snapped hottemperedly.

"And how on earth were they goanna turns us over when you only gave them count of five?" Peter shouted.

"Well, we didn't have time to work out the menus of the plan!"

"I am Groot," said Groot.

"They are ungrateful," Rocket agreed.

"What's important is that we get the Ravangers army to help us save Xandar," Gamora said.

"So, we can give the stone to Yondu who might sell to someone even worse than that Kree lunatic?" Rocket demanded.

"We'll figure that part out later," Tina assured.

"We have to stop Ronan," Gamora felt she was almost begging for them to think of something quickly.

"How?" Rocket asked a little loudly.

"I have a plan," Peter unexpectantly spoke out.

"You've got a plan?" Rocket asked not convinced.

"Yes,"

"You're copying me from when I said I had a plan,"

"Everyone says that when they've got a plan," Peter defended.

"You know what I don't think you have a plan," Rocket added in disapprovingly.

"I have part of plan!"

"Part of plan?" Tina squealed out. "Why can't you have a full plan?"

"I couldn't have thought of it very quickly," Peter protested.

"What percentage of a plan do you have?" Drax asked.

Gamora frowned and pointed a cold accusing green finger in his direction. "You don't get say anything after your stupidity back on Knowwhere," she lectured to him as a mother would to a child.

"I saved the Quills Twins," Drax defended his actions.

"You call destroying this ship saving us?" Tina demanded.

"When did we agree to this?" Drax demanded.

"Are you telling me that you can't remember that we just talking about it?!" Tina reprimanded angrily.

"When were we?"

"Three seconds ago!"

"I wasn't listening. I was thinking of something," Drax portended settling back into his seat. Gamora groaned in frustration.

"She's right! You don't get an opinion," rocket agreed pointing at Drax as well. "Now…what percentage?" he returned to the subject.

"Ahh…" Peter trailed off. "12%?"

"Twelve percent?!" Tina demanded, her voice full of both shock and shame.

"Twelve percent?" Rocket suddenly burst out laughing.

"Now that is not in any way a real laugh," Tina furrowed her eyebrows.

"Come on! This is real!" Rocket moaned.

"Nope. Totally fake," Peter dismissed his claim with a shake of his head.

"This is the most real, authentic, hysterical laugh of my entire life because that is not a plan,"

"It's barely a plan," Gamora greed with Peter.

"You're taking their side?" Peter demanded offended.

"I am Groot," Groot said again with his limited words.

"So what if it's better than eleven percent?" Rocket asked, shocked that his best buddy was taking Peter's side.

"Thank you, Groot. Thank you," Peter patted Groot's shoulder with a smile. "At least one of us has a clue,"

Everyone grimaced when they saw Groot eating a life off his arm.

"That is disgusting. Cut it out," Tina ordered.

Groot stopped.

"Thank you,"

"Guys, sis, come on! Yondu is goanna be here soon. We've already wasted half our given time arguing," Peter serious voice made everyone silent. He decided to get to the point. "Look around. You guys know what I see? Losers,"

Everyone frowned at what he said.

Tina immediately got on her feet and decided to interpret to them what he actually meant.

"What my brother means is that we are folks who have lost stuff. We all have. Our homes, our families, our normal lives. But you know what, today life is giving us something. It is giving us a chance,"

"To do what?" Drax asked.

"To once not run away. To once do the right thing," Peter analysed. "I can't stand by and watch Ronan wipe out billions of innocent lives,"

"Neither can I," Tina proclaimed too.

"But guys…stopping Ronan is impossible," Rocket answered doubtfully. "You two are asking use to die,"

The Quills Twins looked at each other undoubtfully. Could they really expect some much of their friends?

"I guess we are," Peter gave out regretfully.

Tina looked at every one who stared at her and her brother a bit sadly, lost with words. She turned around unsure of what else to say. Peter turned with him and looked to for comfort.

"Guys…" Gamora got their attention. "I have lived most my life surrounded by my enemies,"

Everyone looked at her.

Gamora stood up. "I would be grateful – to die among the ones I call my friends,"

Drax was the next one to stand up. "You both are honourable people Quill Twins," he addressed proudly to Peter and Tina. "I will fight beside the two of you. And in the end – I will see my wife and daughter again,"

"I am Groot!" Groot declared bravely standing up beside Tina. Tina proudly batted his shoulder.

Orlins and Tina growled softly as they settled on the Quill Twin's shoulders. They nuzzled their faces.

All that was left was Rocket. They looked towards him, expecting him to stand up and fight beside them. Meredith looked at Rocket with hope in her eyes. She eyed him with sweet puppy eyes.

Rocket was touched by how much she wanted him to join in the fight. "Oh well. I haven't got a life that long anyway," he stood up on his seat. "Now I'm stand. You all happy? We'll all standing a circle,"

"And you've just ruined the moment," Tina eyed him softly as she crossed her arms. Meredith frowned at Rocket disapprovingly.

"Whoops," Rocket replied awkwardly with a bit of a cheesy smile.

* * *

The plan was set, and the group of friends told it to the Ravangers. The goal was to stop Ronan from making it to the surface and touching the Power Stone to the ground. If it did, everything would be destroyed. Firstly, Rocket would lead a team to blow a hole in the Dark Aster's Starbow hole. Then two crafts containing his friends and one with Yondu and Warren would enter it. Once inside, Gamora would shut down the power source to security doors that Ronan would isolate himself behind. Once they entered his room, Peter would use the Hadron Enforcer to kill Ronan and end him. Everyone was then given small orb devices to contain the stone inside if they ever came across it.

The team prepared themselves.

Both Peter and Tina strapped rocket blasters to their boots and readied the Hadron Enforcer. They dressed themselves in their normal Ravanger uniforms and Tina tied her hair up in a high ponytail braid.

Gamora dressed herself in a Ravangers uniform and sharped her sword.

Drax placed on red trousers, sheathed his daggers and readied himself with a large gun.

Groot made sharp twigs prick out of his back like a porcupine to give himself protection and make himself look fiercer.

Rocket placed on a Ravanger suit, sewn and designed like his original one, and prepared his gun.

Meredith and Orlins sharped their teeth and claws.

A while later, the friends were all walking down the corridor to the ship deck daring themselves to continue on to face Ronan and save Xandar.


	15. The Battle for Xandar Part 1

**The Battle for Xandar Part 1: **

"Let's go, get im' boys!" Yondu commanded.

"Are you seriously taking all these miniature figures in a sky battle brother?" Warren questioned, furrowing at all the little animals that Yondu had 'bought' from the Collector and laid out on his control console.

"Relax Warren. It's a good sense of decorations,"

Hundreds of Ravanger ships were released from the hold of the ship.

* * *

"This is a terrible plan," Gamora murmured in her seat.

"Hey! You're the one who said you wanted to die among friends!" Peter reminded.

Gamora looked at him with distain.

"Peter, guys…there's something I've been a bit reluctant to reveal," Tina said.

"What is it sis?" Peter asked, getting a little suspicious of her.

"I sent a message to one of the Nova's who arrested us, for backup," Tina said.

"You did what?!" Peter demanded. "Tina, what were you thinking?!"

"Peter, even with the entire Ravanger army we cannot take on all of Ronan's ships by ourselves," Tina said. "We're going to need all the help we can get,"

"That's ridiculous Tina," Gamora scoffed solidly. "There's no way they'll believe we're here to help,"

"You don't know that Gamora," was Tina's response. "They may see as nothing but criminals…but they may have to believe us if they wish for Xandar to be safe,"

"But what if they don't?" Gamora challenged.

Tina didn't answer. She just turned her attention back the sky outside the wind shield.

* * *

Ronan sat patiently on his stone throne, his hammer in hand with the stone still encased inside. He lifted his head when he saw Nebula approaching.

"A fleet is approaching. They appear to be Ravangers," she informed.

* * *

The army of space pirates were flying closer to the Dark Aster as it came into view. Beside them hovered two ginormous cannons, ready to fire. A short moment of silence passed.

"Fire!" Yondu commanded through the com.

The two flying cannons fired two might balls of fire across the sky.

* * *

Nebula and Ronan braced themselves for impact…when _Boom!_

A might wall of fire covered the air in front their eyes. They couldn't see anyone.

The fireball was creating a barrier between the army of Ravangers and the Dark Asher.

* * *

"Submerge!" Yondu ordered.

The Ravangers led by the Milano crew dived underneath the wall, underneath the view that Nebula had from the window.

Once they were underneath the Dark Asher, the Quill Twins knew this was their chance.

"You're up Rocket!" Peter notified through the radio.

"Get shooting boys! And hurry!" Tina commanded.

Three Ravanger ships led by Rocket in the leading one soared ahead and glided to the stubborn hold.

* * *

Back inside the control room, Nebula watched as the fire wall disappeared out of sight. She was shocked to see no Ravanger ships in view. They had been tricked.

"All pilots dive, they're beneath us!" Nebula ordered through her head-com.

* * *

Rocket and his allies hovered in front of the starboard hole of the ships. They pulled the triggers and they started shooting hundreds of bullets together.

"Forward thrust now!" Nebula ordered.

The engineers, sitting in stone seats like their master, pressed a circle on the hologram orbs above their heads.

The engines of the Dark Aster boomed, realising more fire power to boost it further on.

Outside, Rocket and his team had barely made a dent.

"Grrrrr!" Rocket growled as no progress was made.

"Come on!" Kraglin groaned heatedly. Just when there seemed to be no luck, there was a loud boom! A hole had exploded. Now was the chance for the rest of Rocket's friends.

"Quills! Udonta bros! Now!" Rocket shouted urgently.

Peter and Tina steered the ships upwards, followed by Yondu and Warran in the bluer one behind them. Whilst Tina took care shooting any nearby Necro ships, Peter accurately steered the ships, up, down, left, right, in every direction he could go.

Yondu and Warren did the same thing, one driving whilst one shot the enemy ships down. Yondu affectively made their ships dodge from side to side. But Warren struggled to shooting every craft down as they kept appearing out of nowhere.

Suddenly one of the blasted Necro's engines crashed into one of the Udonta brother's ship wings. The siren in the ship bailed and wailed as it started plummeting to the ground, thousands and thousands of metres below. It would take a miracle to survive. Even inside the ship.

"We're going down guys!" Yondu screamed through the com.

"Yondu! Warren!" Tina screamed.

"We'll see you guys at the end of this!" Warren promised.

"Take care of each other! And don't die, who we will kill you!" Yondu threatened.

Their signal was lost.

Peter and Tina stared at each other hopefully. Once this was over, they would find the men who raised them. All they could do now was proceed alone with the others and hope they would be alright.

They were getting close to reaching the Dark Aster, when dozens of more Necro ships kept coming out of nowhere.

"There's too many of them!" Tina shouted. "I can't shoot them all,"

Both she and Peter struggled to shake off the extra Necro ships. Much to their fear, some wings were suddenly scraped against by some blasts. A couple more and they would end up falling down.

"We'll never make it up there!" Gamora cursed.

It seemed as if it were game over.

Just when it seemed that it was their downfall, shooting streams of red laser blasts struck the necro ships out of nowhere. The group watched tensely, not knowing whether it was friend, or foe.

"What the…" Peter drifted off when ships shaped like stars emerged on their sides.

"Tina Quill…" a familiar voice called through the com. This is Denarian Sal of the Nova Corp. For the record, I advised against trusting you and your brother,'

"They got your message!" Peter cheered. "I'm so proud of you sis!"

"Keep to your word Quill twins," Sal advised casually.

With the chance they had from backup, Peter pressed the lever further, boosting the ship to fly faster, right towards the hole in the starboard.

"We're going in!" Tina alerted. "Hang on tight everyone!"

The Milano went skidding across a black tunnel, damaging its wings and screeching its body.

Drax laughed hysterically like a Mad Hatter that he couldn't stop himself.

"Guys!" Gamora screamed.

The others turned and saw Kree soldiers with cannons shooting at them.

"Turn the ship Peter!" Tina ordered. "I've got an idea!"

Peter trustfully pulled the lever, causing the Milano to steer right. Tina press the triggers on her lever and the ship shot out series of gun-blasts, wiping out the Kree guards instantly.

Right away Peter pulled the brake and with a screechy vibration the Milano finally stopped sliding.

The crew breathed out piningly in their seats.

"Yes!" Drax cried out, punching his fists to the air.

Peter looked back at everyone. But his main focus was Gamora. She managed to hold a simple smile. "We're just like Kevin Bacon," she breathed out contentedly.

Peter smiled back.

"Ah hem!" a voice coughed.

Peter looked at his sister, who was glaring softly but sharp at him. "What?" he asked innocently.

* * *

Nebula was staggered at seeing a beeping signal on of the ship's hologram orbs that the drivers were controlling. "The stubborn curd has been breached! We've been bordered!" she shouted at Ronan.

The unthreatened Ronan commanded: "Continue our approach!"

"But the Nova Corp have engaged!" Nebula protested.

Still Ronan wouldn't be threatened. "None of that will matter once we reach the surface,"

"Seal the security doors!" Nebula commanded. "Now!" she marched out with some soldiers out of the throne room. "Get of my way!"

Two stone gates closed and blocked the throne room from the corridors. Ronan sat peacefully in his seat. He appeased the image of what Xandar would look like once his plan was complete.

* * *

Rocket and his comrades helped the Ravanger ships shoot out all the Necro ships with the aid of the

There was nothing they could do about the Dark Aster. It was slowly but surely still descending down to Xandar below. They couldn't let the Power stone touch the earth. Or it would be a deadly destruction to the whole planet.

That was when Rocket and the Ravangers saw all the Nova Corp ships flying up in front of the ships. They lined up together and a golden burst was formed by the spikes of their ships linking together. Together the whole army were creating a golden energetic barricade that pressed against the ginormous ship. The Dark Aster could no longer descend down to the ground. It would give Rocket's friends plenty of time to find Ronan, retrieve the stone and kill him. But it would have to be soon.

* * *

The hatch of the Milano opened. The five members with the two alien rodents walked out, weapons in hand, or in Groot and the Guntrins' case, fists ready. Guards could be lurking anywhere. They had to be cautious.

But it was difficult to make out. It was a dark void from where they were looking.

"I can barely see anything," Drax said.

Groot, unexpectantly raised up his left palm. As he did, small balls of golden flora started floating around himself and his friends.

"That's is so pretty," Tina said in wonder, staring at Groot admirably.

Groot saw her smile and smiled back.

"How did you learn to do that?" Drax asked curiously.

"Pretty sure the answer is 'I am Groot'," Peter answered for him.

"We should keep going," Tina said. "Do you know where we are Gamora?"

Gamora didn't answer. Instead she just stared forward with a harder glance. With the light Groot was providing she could make out where they were. She saw giant archways leading to some corridors.

"I do. The flight deck is three-hundred meters this way," she stalked ahead, leading everyone else behind her.

"I just wanna let you all know that I'm grateful for everything you've done for me," Drax unexpectedly said. "Despite my foolish selfish mistake back on Knowwhere," he owed these people everything. "You Quill-Man.." he addressed to Peter. "…are my friend. You Lady Quill are my friend. You creepy but adorable Guntrins are my friends,"

Orlins and Meredith, nestled on the twins' shoulder, twisted their heads to Drax and looked at him in a sweet manner. Their glance was warmer than when they first met that maniac killer of Kree.

"You, dumb walking tree, are my friend,"

"Mmm-mm," Groot murmured, still walker.

"And you green deadly…"

"Oh, you must stop!" Gamora lashed out, impatient with his name calling and his talking.

"Gamora!" an undeniable voice sneered coldly from ahead of them.

The group looked and saw a venomous Nebula standing strong and firm, two electric swords wielded in her hands. "Look at what you have done you traitor. You have always been weak. You stupid, selfish…"

Her insults were stopped by a rocket that rammed into her body and knocked her several feet backwards.

"Nobody talks to my friends like that," Drax sneered defensively, decreeing his friendship to Gamora. Gamora was shocked but grateful for his words. She didn't have time to dwell on that though.

"Head to the flight-deck. I'll shut down the power to the security doors," Gamora told them. She walked further on.

"Be careful," Peter said. He, Tina, Orlins, Groot and Drax dashed down the nearest corridor.

* * *

On the grassy outskirts of the city, a pile of ship rubble burned a smoky odour into the air. Yondu, covered in dust and bruises, picked up all his little aliens figures that he had 'bought' from the Broker.

"Yondu Udonta!" a voice boomed.

Yondu turned cautiously and saw a squad of Kree guards, spread out, aiming their guns at him.

"Order your men to turn on the Nova and shoot them down! Now!" the leader ordered.

Yondu didn't move. He lifted up his coat flap to reveal his Yaka arrow.

He puckered his lips and a sweet soothing whistle was formed. The arrow was lifted out of its sheath and it twirled peacefully in the air.

The Kree Captain got annoyed and aimed his gun at the Ravanger Captain. "Put that arrow!" he commanded.

Yondu made his lips crease and the arrow went shooting through the air in a flash, flying through all the guards. It shot through the ship as well, right through the metal and out through the other side. It circled around the spot taking out the remaining guards.

It flew through a hole in his circled-up palm and it stopped flying. He inserted it back into its holder. The dead but standing soldiers collapsed the ground and the ship fell and went _bang_ as it exploded.

Yondu smirked at his work. But right after that he remembered his co-pilot.

"Warran!" he cried out. He scavenged through the rubble at a frantic rate. There was no body. "Where are you brother? Warran!"


	16. The Battle for Xandar Part 2

**The Battle for Xandar Part 2:**

Nebula's body was malfunctioned and bent from that rocket impact. She picked up her electric swords as her muscles started straightening mechanically by themselves.

She heard footsteps approaching. She looked ahead and saw Gamora running up to her. She slowed down and lifted up her hands. "Nebula please?" the green girl begged. But it wasn't abundant.

Nebula suddenly attempted to strike her. But Gamora ducked, grabbed her arm and elbowed her in the back, stunning her a bit. She dashed forward and saw the power source to the security doors that glowed as green as a thousand emeralds. She pulled it out of its insert and attempted to destroy it. But Nebula swiped with her electric sword out of nowhere. Gamora tried to fight back but Nebula kicked her back. She drew out Godslayer and they clashed once more.

* * *

"Guards! Guards!" Korath shouted, his voice echoing around the maze of passages. "Guards! With me to the stubborn curd! We must not allow these intruders to reach Ronan.

"What about the prisoner?" a guard asked, beckoned to Vamos, caged and chained in his cell; ten times stronger than the others.

"You two stay with him!" Korath ordered the bodyguards guarding the gate. "Do not let him escape!"

* * *

At a constant rate, Rocket steered and blasted in the sky with all the other Ravangers. It seemed continue on forever. Much to his bombshell, they turned their attention away from him and his allies. They were suddenly dive-bombing down onto the city. The Nova Corp did not move. They had to keep Ronan up there. But hundreds of innocent people were about to get killed by these skydiving pods.

"Everyone dive down!" he commanded through the com. He pushed the lever and his ship were lunging down like metal birds of prey. As he did, he pressed a trigger and dozens of enemy pods went boom!

His eyes caught the sight of one about to crash into a bridge where there were several families. Including a pink mother carrying her pink daughter. Quick as whip, he blasted the ship as he soared over the bridge. He had saved those Xandarians just in time.

"Keep Ronan up there Saal! We'll take care of the people down here!" Rocket called through.

Saal was glum at the thought. "I can't believe I'm taking orders from a hamster,"

Rocket flew into a fury. "I heard that! I'm not a hamster!"

"Then what are if you're not a racoon?" Saal demanded.

* * *

The others had just turned a corner into a gigantic engine room with spinning generators when they encountered the faces of Korath and his soldiers.

"Star-Lord – Star Lady," Korath addressed swiftly with quiet words.

"Finally," Peter answered with a goofy smile.

Tina smirked, clicking her guns' triggers. "This is goanna be fun,"

Orlins and Meredith leapt of their shoulders, growling bigger and renagaing into Korath's men. Peter and Tina activated their masks and they started blasting the shooters.

Drax swiftly stabbed and wiped out some with his blades. Groot kicked and struck them with his stoic fist. Tina tried to kill Korath but he was too quick and angelic for her to blast him. She tried to fly into him with his rocket blasters but Korath grabbed her ankle and tossed her into a wall.

"Hey! Nobody does that to my sister!" Peter shouted. He tried to kill Korath but like his sister he thrown into the wall.

"You will never make it to Ronan," Korath sneered smugly. He made a move to kill them, but Orlins and Meredith charged into him. They tried to tear him apart, but he wrestled them. They turned back small to escape his punches. Still they couldn't defeat him, even together.

* * *

The flying Rocket steered his ship and pointed its head upwards to the sky.

"Everyone! Shoot them before they hit the ground!" he commanded.

The Ravangers steered their ships upwards to the sky. They pulled their triggers and _bang bang bang bang bang._ The guns shot and took out Necro ships, blasting them before they could bomb the city. Numbers of Xandarians were saved. But the fate of their planet was still in the hands of rocket's friends.

* * *

Gamora and Nebula fought with fury. Gamora blocked Nebula's electric swipes and slashes with her Godslayer, kicking her or punching her when there was a chance.

* * *

Groot kicked the Kree like balls into one another. Drax punched and threw his right-fist incessantly into Korath's face. Tina and Peter shot the soldiers with their guns and floated about using their rocket blasters. Orlins and Meredith kept changing sizes and causing the Kree to kill or kick one another.

Drax attempted to kill Korath with his knives by throwing them. But they all succeeded into killing two other soldiers. So, he took on Korath man to man. Korath seemed to be gaining the upper hand at first. But Drax took the advantage to ram his body into Korath's and slam his fists into his face.

Drax managed to pin Korath to the wall and he grasped on Korath's metal head pieces. He screamed in agony as Drax used his other hand to press a finger against his throat.

"Finger to your throat means…" Drax spoke sneeringly. "Death"

He ripped the head piece out of Korath's head, and his head burst out bolts of electricity as his corpse shuddered against the wall. It fell plain on the floor, lifeless.

Drax look to the twins with a proud smile. "Metaphor,"

"Good job Drax," Tina acknowledged with a nod.

"Well said," Peter complimented.

The group were about to continue when too many more Kree soldiers were charging at them.

"Uh oh,"

Groot shot his right hand and it extended in length and went right through five soldiers. He lifted up his right arm. He started swinging it from left to right and up and down, wiping out every soldier as if they were fragile chess pieces.

"AAAAHHHHHH!" he roared, his voice echoing against the walls. He pulled his right arm out and it was short again. He turned to his friends.

His face brightened and his eyes and mouth widened.

"Good job Groot," Tina acknowledged.

* * *

Ronan could no longer comprehend the Nova Corp's army stopping his ship. He opened the windows of his gigantic wind shield. "Xandar!" his voice boomed so loudly that it transferred through the outside ship's radios to the main headquarters where Nova Prime could hear. "You stand accused! Your wretched peace treaty will not save you now! It is the timber on which you burn!" He raised his hefty hammer, and the Power Stone encased inside releasing a blast of purple.

The Nova ships in front of the wind shield were blasted to smithereens. As they were destroyed, the remaining ships were too. With fewer ships, the blockade was weakening.

Saal suddenly felt his ship pressing against him as the Dark Aster could move forward. He felt like he was being squashed. He didn't have long.

"Rocket!" he screamed through the com.

"Hold on Saal!" Rocket called back. "Just…"

"Ahhh!" _BOOM!_

Millions of Nova Corps ships were destroyed. Some were sent flying down. Some managed to survive but could not do anything with fewer allies.

The callous Ronan smirked with pride at his work. He was closer than ever to reaching his goal.

Rocket and the Ravangers watched with fear as the Kree Warhead pursued his descension down to the city.

"Guys, you've gotta hurry. The city's been evacuated! But we're getting our buts kicked out here!" Rocket warned through the com to his still-surviving friends.

* * *

The other had manged to reach the doors leading to Ronan's chambers. But there was one problem. They weren't open.

"Gamora hasn't opened the door!" Tina shouted.

"What?!" Peter shrieked, fearing for her safety.

* * *

Down below, Gamora and Nebula still couldn't best one another. Gamora kicked her foot and hooked one of Nebula's swords and pulled it away. She twisted and swiped at Nebula, but her slash was blocked. Then her second one. Nebula disarmed her and her sword was tossed out through the hall. Nebula stung Gamora with an electric bite with her other sword's tip.

Gamora screamed but she disarmed Nebula and gave her sister a mighty kick to the face that sent her backflipping out the hall. Her prosthetic arm managed to hook onto a piece of metal. Though she hung thousands of miles above the earth.

"Nebula!" Gamora screamed for her. She reached out an arm to her hanging sister. "Sister! Help us fight Ronan. You know he's crazy!"

"I know you're both crazy," Nebula scoffed. She raised her hand.

"No!" Gamora begged. But it was too late.

Nebula slashed her arm and cut it clean it. She plummeted down. Much to her luck, she landed on a Ravanger ship's wind shield. She punched it open. "Get out!"

"Ahhh!" the pilot was tossed out whilst his stolen ship flew away from Earth, off to freedom.

* * *

Peter prepared the Hadron Enforcer whilst Groot tried to bash the doors open with his fists. But they were too thick and too strong.

* * *

Gamora found a gun to use and she crashed the power source and pulled out the wires.

* * *

The doors opened. Quickly Gamora's friends dashed through.

* * *

Gamora shot through the ceiling. She jumped up and shot down the guards that were just about to overwhelm her friends.

They stood together, staring at the Kree standing across the room with his hammer. Detecting their presence, he turned to them.

Peter had a target.

"Now!" Tina shouted.

Peter pulled the two triggers on the side and _boom!_

A small but lethal rocket was shot out. It flew to Ronan and then _bang_.

The impact realised a mighty cloud of smoke that blocked their vision from their enemy.

Peter and Tina deactivated their helmets. They couldn't see Ronan. It seemed their plan had worked.

"You did it!" Drax cheered.

The Quill Twins smiled. But a black shadow rose into view. Their smiles faltered. It wasn't over.

Everyone looked in fear as the maniac Kree, a deep gash in his chest armour, still stood. He glared darkly at them. _No one can stop me. Not even you all can._

Ronan raised his hammer head in their direction. He twisted it. It sent out a sonic wave that knocked them all off their feet.

Drax got up quickly and battle cried as he recklessly charged at Ronan, his knives raised up. But Ronan instantly gripped him by the throat and lifted him up.

Drax felt his neck squeezed between the thick fingers. He chocked and gurgled.

"I was mistaken. I do remember your family," Ronan sneered with such cold words. "Their screams were pitiful. I…"

He paused when he heard the roaring vibrations of an engine. He twisted his head to see a Ravanger ship with a racoon roaring as he rammed it through the glass window and into the engine room. The pilots were knocked out and the engines were busted.

Tina rammed her body into Groot and knocked him back to save him. Peter did the same to Gamora. A cloud of dust and debris floated about. A minute passed and the four lifted their heads.

They couldn't see Ronan. He must have died.

Tina scrambled towards the damaged destroyed Milano. The window was dirty and broken. An unconscious Rocket was still in the seat. Tina unbuckled him and carried him in her arms to the others.

Peter helped an injured Gamora step over to them. Groot pulled an unconscious Drax towards them. The moment she saw a wounded bruised Rocket, Meredith jumped off Peter's shoulder and bounded to him. She whimpered and licked his face. She nuzzled his check hoping he was okay.

They all suddenly felt their throats falling into their stomachs.

"Guys…we're going down," Tina realised. She looked at her brother and Gamora with fear. "We're never goanna survive this landing,"

Peter and Gamora were calm. But in their eyes, Tina saw fear. Meredith and Orlins cooed in low voices.

Groot looked at how fearful his friends were. Tina was right. They would not survive. Not…unless he….

Groot made a choice. Slowly he reached his arms and they started extending in length around himself and his friends. Branches started sprouting out from all his body and they encircled around everyone as well. Peter, Gamora and Tina watched as the branches formed a ball of twigs and leaves around themselves.

"Groot…what are you doing?" Tina asked in confusion.

Rocket moved his head and breathed. His eyes widened as he saw what his best friend was doing.

Moments later, the entire group was engulfed inside the huge ball of tricks and leaves that Groot had formed with his own body. Tiny balls of golden floating fauna lit up their protective cage and branches sprouted around their waists and legs to brace them for impact.

"No Groot!" Rocket begged. He touched his best friend's chest as her tears started swelling with eyes. "You can't. You'll die. Why are you doing this? Why?" he couldn't hold back his tears any long.

A twig from Groot touched his furry cheek and wiped them away.

"We…are…Groot," were his final words.

The group of friends held each other's' hands. They were together now.

 _Crash_

They fell unconscious as they felt the Dark Aster crashing onto the Earth. All went dark.


	17. The Battle for Xandar Part 3

**The Battle for Xandar Part 3:**

Yondu searched the grasslands for Warran thinking he was still somewhere. "Warran!" he called out. He couldn't be dead. He must have crashed but left, thinking he was dead after failing to find him. "Warran…"

He stopped when he saw the sight of a gigantic dark ship crashing into the city.

"Oh no…not them," he breathed out. Peter and Tina were in there. They couldn't be dead.

"Yondu!" he heard a voice behind him.

Yondu turned and saw a bruised Warran dashing up to him. "Yondu! The Quills are still in there!"

"Come on brother! We've gotta get to them! They could still be alive!"

"But what if they're not?!"

"Don't say that!" Yondu shrieked in his face. "We've raised them for too long them to die! They have to be alive,"

* * *

The Guardians cringed with pain as they woke up. Their eyelids slowly lifted part. All they could see was rubble, pieces of ship from the Milano and the Dark Aster, and twigs. Groot had however…

Rocket scurried to the piles of twigs. He picked up a piece and started crying. "I called him an idiot," he cried, cursing himself or being such a terrible friend. _Why wasn't I nicer?_

Peter and Tina crawled to each other and embraced one another. Peter found Meredith all covered in dust lying nearby. "You're okay," he soothed stroking her. "You're okay,"

Tina twisted her head to find Orlins. But he wasn't anywhere. "No," Tina breathed. "He can't be. He can't be," Tina's eyes leaked out tears.

"I'm sorry," Peter cried as well, pulling her into his arms again. "His death aside from Groot's was not in vain,"

Gamora watched all around with sad eyes. So did Drax. They noticed Xandarians approaching them. Suddenly they all stumbled back. Gamora turned around to see Ronan approaching from the smoke. He was not dead. It was not over. The Power Stone glowed in his hammer head.

The others turned their heads and were shocked at Ronan approaching.

The moment he laid his eyes on Ronan, Rocket flew into a fury. "You killed Groot!" he recklessly charged at Ronan, but Ronan sent him flying to the side.

"Behold your Guardians of the Galaxy!" he introduced. "What fruit have they wrought? Only that my father and his father shall finally know vengeance!"

Peter snarled at Ronan. He was responsible for Groot and now Orlins's deaths. He was not going to let Ronan get away. Much to his twin's confusion, Peter handed her Meredith and stood up slowly, making sure Ronan did not notice.

"People of Xandar, the time has come to rejoice and renounce your paltry! Your salvations is at hand!" he raised his hammer.

Tina's throat tightened. Gamora's mouthed widened. This was it. They had failed. He was about to win.

"And now…to end your…!" Ronan was interrupted by the singing of a dancing Star Lord.

"Ooh child  
Things are gonna get easier  
Ooh child  
Things'll get brighter

Ooh child  
Things are gonna get easier  
Ooh child  
Things'll get brighter"

Peter's singing made everyone stare at him with blank expressions. Gamora and Tina's the most surprised.

"What are you doing?!" an irritated Ronan demanded.

"I'm distracting you, you idiot," Peter answered out with glee, beckoning to Ronan's behind.

Ronan rotated. He saw Drax holding the beat-up but active Hadron Enforcer. Rocket press two wire pieces together. _whoosh_

Another tiny torpedo shot out of the Enforcer like a bullet. Then _bang._

The head of Ronan's hammer exploded. The Power Stone was broken free from the wrecked head. Ronan reached forward to grip the stone. But so, did Peter. He did a flying leap.

"No!" Gamora shouted.

Tina's eyes widened and her throat tightened.

The moment Peter grabbed the stone, there was a mighty blast that knocked everyone back. An orb of violet and grey energy engulfed the group of friends and Ronan. Peter felt the Infinity Stone burning in his hands. He screamed in agony as the energy coursed through his body, ripping him apart from the inside. Everyone braced themselves.

Tina struggled to get to him.

Peter felt as if he would explode into pieces any minute now from such disparaging power. Ronan watched with a grin. Nothing would still stand in his way. No matter what.

* * *

Orlins squirmed in pain as he lifted himself up. He heard a whirling noise. He poked up his bruised hand over the pile of rubble he was. His eyes enlarged at the sight of a grey-purple smoky orb. It was the stone doing its work. He suddenly spotted a small silver orb device nearby. It was up to him.

* * *

Yondu and Warran had just reached the outskirts of Xandar. Warran was tired and out of breath. He leaned on a building and started panting. "You go ahead Yondu! I'll catch up!" he urged his brother. "Go! Get to Peter and Tina! And get that stone too! We don't want them sneaking off or breaking their word!"

"Don't take long," Yondu ordered, giving him a soft but annoyed look.

Warran leaned his head on the wall and breathed in and out. He started to walk and make his way to catch up with his brother at a slow pace.

From out of the shadows of the debris, two purple eyes glared at him.

Tina couldn't take it anymore seeing her brother about to be torn apart for every from the stone he was holding. "Peter!" she shouted. "Take my hand!" She reached out a hand.

Peter heard her voice. He twisted his head. He saw his mother, the same appearance she was the day she had die and then departed from him and his sister. "Take my hand Peter," she begged tearfully.

"Mum," Peter breathed.

"Take my hand!" Tina repeated.

Peter shed a tear. He raised his free hand that was crackling like an onion and grabbed Tina's offered hand and the energy from the Power Stone was absorbed into her skin. They both managed to contain the Stone's power for as long as they could together. But it wouldn't last long.

Gamora managed to reach forward to touch Peter's shoulder and she screamed as her body absorbed the endless amount of purple energy.

Then Drax grabbed her hand and he absorbed energy as well.

Rocket struggled to grip Tina's hand until he managed to clutch a finger. Then Meredith came to Rocket and grabbed his hand. They growled and roared with pain as the power coursed through their veins like a violent river.

For a few moments, the groups' bodies were vibrating from the power that was destroying them. But for a brief while, it slowed down. Then it stopped. The Guardians stood staring at Ronan, still linked with their grips and with black burning eyes.

"But you're mortal!" a flabbergasted Ronan screamed. "How?!"

"You said it yourself bitch," Peter said grimly. "We're the Guardians of the Galaxy,"

"We will protect the galaxy! Especially from you and Thanos," Tina declared.

Ronan wouldn't have. He tried to attack them, but Peter opened his hand, causing the Power Stone to release a burst of purple energy at Ronan himself. The energy engulfed him, causing his veins to bulge and glow purple as well as the inside of his mouth and his eyes. He was lifted into the air and he felt his bones crack and crumble underneath his skin. Seconds later, he exploded.

The Guardians couldn't take it anymore. Any second now they would explode as well. Suddenly Orlins appeared out of nowhere and leapt onto Tina's arm connected to Peter's with an orb in his mouth. He enclosed the stone inside once it was placed over it. The Power Stone was contained, and the Guardians were free from its terrible painful power.

The sphere of purple and grey smoke vanquished around them. They were back in the open where all the Xandarians could glance at their saviours. The Guardians breathed in and out, relieved to be free from such a formidable force of destructive power. Tina hugged her Guntrin and kissed his head.

"Well done boy. You saved us,"

Orlins cooed a 'you're welcome' and licked her back.

Tina then turned her attention to her brother, who smiled at her with love. She pulled him into her arms again and he hugged her back. They had come so close to losing each other again. But that was never goanna happen again. They needed each other.

"Well…well…quite the light show," a certain voice cackled. "Ain't this sweet,"

The twins stopped their hug and the group turned to see Yondu approaching them with Warran, Kraglin and dozens of their men. They had guns ready and were both prying darkly at them. Particularly at Peter and Tina.

"But you've got some business to attend to before all the oky poky starts," Yondu reminded forebodingly.

"Guys you can't," Gamora begged. "Guys…?"

"You've gotta to reconsider this Yondu," Tina beseeched badly. "We cannot let you have this stone. Not with all the damage it has caused. Don't you know what is at stake here?"

"As a Ravanger you must keep say a word, then keep that word," Warren reminded. His reminiscent was confirmed by his crossed arms and his creased eyebrows.

"Look…we don't who you're selling this to but the only way the universe can survive is if you give it to the Nova Corp," Peter protested.

"My brother and I may be as pretty as angels…" Yondu flipped his coat side to reveal his Yaka arrow. "But we sure aren't some," his metal stripe on his head glowed a menacing red. He offered his free hand. "Hand it over twins,"

Peter and Tina didn't move.

"You heard what he said. Don't make this hard for us," Warran warned.

Reluctantly Peter pulled out the orb from his pocket and passed it to Yondu. The Ravanger captain smirked and signalled his men to back off. He and Warran turned around and started leading everyone away.

"Whatever you do…don't open that orb," Tina's warning was serious.

"Like my sister said, it causes destruction. You've seen what it does to people?" Peter's words were serious.

Yondu gave another look back at them. Then he turned back round with his brother and boarded one of their ships.

They and Kraglin looked down at the Guardians from the still-open hatch.

"Those twins turned out okay," Kraglin said. "Probably good we didn't deliver them to their dad like we hired to do,"

"Yep that guy was a jackass!"

The hatch closed and the ship steered upwards. The Guardians and the Nova Corps watched as they vanished into space.

"He's goanna be so pissed when he realises we switched out the orb on him," Tina plucked out the real orb from her back pouch.

"He's was goanna kill you guys," Gamora reminded sadly.

"We know. But he was about the only family we had," Peter aforesaid remorsefully.

"No. He wasn't," Gamora shook her head with her smile. Her smile was accepted.

Rocket sat down and picked up a piece of twig. His eyes wet up again, and he began to sob. He hung his head down to the ground as his heart turned heavy in his chest. Drax painfully made his way over and sat down beside him. He held a sorrowful face to the poor racoon. He knew what it was like to lose someone who you cared about so much.

Sorrowfully the twins and Gamora watched Rocket mourn for Groot. They remained quiet as well as they thought about Groot's selfless sacrifice to save them all.

Meredith growled softly in a sorrowful voice. Peter let her come down his arm onto the ground. She swayed forward to Rocket and took her place by his side. She licked his cheek to wipe away his salty tears. Rocket liked the comfort and accept it.

They nuzzled each other.

Peter would have been jealous if they were somewhere else, but he wasn't. Instead he was just glad that Meredith was comforting their new friend. Moreover, he knew that he wouldn't lose her love.

Tina decided to give Rocket some comfort too. She sat beside him and Meredith. "I'm so sorry Rocket," she said sadly. "Groot was a great friend…to all of us. We will always remember him for what he did. Keep that twig," she suggested. "Keep it as a memory. Keep it and let grow. Maybe it might be a new beginning. For him,"

Rocket nodded a bit and pressed it close to his chest. It was a treasure to him. Simple, but precious.


	18. Criminals no more but Heroes

**Criminals no more but Heroes:**

The Nova Corp had brought the Guardians to their quarters. They had something very important to tell Peter and Tina. Before that, the Guardians were cleaned and healed of their wounds and given some new clothing and eventually they found their weapons.

"Why would you guys even know this?" Peter questioned with confusion.

"When we arrested you both, we noticed anomalies in your nervous systems, so we had it checked out," Dey answered as he and his accomplices showed two holograms of the twins' outlines.

"We're not Terran?" Tina breathed out nervously. If she and her brother weren't truly of Earth, what planet were they really from?

"You both are half-Terran," Nova Prime said. "Your mother was of Earth. Your father? Well…" she hesitated. "He's something very ancient that we've never seen here before,"

"Maybe that was why you Peter were able to hold onto the stone for as long as you did," Gamora thought.

Peter and Tina stared at their holograms intensely. All their lives they thought their father was just a human who left their mother before they were born. Now they felt confused

"Your friends have arrived!" Nova Prime notified looking in their direction. As the Guardians gathered together in a group, she looked at them with a grateful smile. "On behalf on the Nova Corp, we would like to express our profound gratitude for your help in saving Xander,"

The Guardians held beamed smiles at her, facially expressing their compassion.

"Now if you will follow Denarian Dey, he has something to show you," Nova Prime beckoned to them.

"Thank you Nova Prime," Peter said.

"Yes, thank you. May Xander continue living in peace with no threats," Tina bid farewell with a nod. She and Peter bent their knees and their Guntrins jumped onto their hands and skittered up to their shoulders to take their usual resting spots.

"Thank you," Gamora said, walking away after her friends. She found herself walking besides Drax. She had something to say to him. "Your wife and child shall rest well, knowing that you have avenged them,"

"It's not over yet," Drax unexpectantly said. "Ronan was just a puppet. It's really Thanos I need to kill," his words were cold and grim.

Gamora stopped in her steps and stared gap-mouthed at the muscled-alien. Was his quest for vengeance really not finished?

Dey led the group outside and what a sight awaited them. The Milano was waiting at a dock, all repaired, polished and shined. It was beautiful, better than before.

"We salvaged what we could," Dey said.

The Guardians looked at it in wonder. It was perfect.

"It's just as beautiful as it was before. We love it," Tina expressed.

"Thank you," Peter said gladly.

"I have a family. They're alive because of you Guardians," Dey was filled with gratitude. The Guardians expressed their ingratitude.

"Your criminal records have also been expunged," Dey said, much to their surprise. "However, I will have to warn you about breaking any laws in the future,"

"Question!" Rocket blurted out. "What if I see something that I take and it belongs to someone else?"

"You'll be arrested," Dey answered, quite stammered with his stupid question.

"But what if I want it more than the person who has it?"

"Still illegal," Dey notified, not having it.

"But I'm serious! What if I want it more?!" Rocket whined angrily.

"Come on Rocket," Gamora pulled him away.

"Can't I have a discussion with this gentleman?" he whined like a child.

"What if someone does something irksome, and I decide to remove his spine?" Drax inquired grimly. He loved the pleasure of doing anything gruesome to anyone who he didn't find amusing.

"That's murder. One of the worst…crimes of all," Dey's mind felt disgusted with the image of a spine being removed. "Also illegal,"

"Mm," Drax walked away.

"Don't you worry Dey," Tina assured him with a proud smile. "My brother and I are goanna keep an eye of them.

"You two?" Dey asked with humour.

Peter looked at his friends walking towards the ship. "Yeah us two,"

"This is where we depart," Tina said. "Thank you very much for everything," she took her brother's hand and they waddled away after the others.

Peter wrapped an arm around her shoulder and Tina returned it back.

"I don't what I would do without a wonderful brother like you Peter,"

"And I don't know what I would do without a wonderful sister like you Tina,"

Brother and Sister with companions on their shoulders walked close together after their friends to their ship.

When they came close, Peter noticed an uncomfortable look on Tina's face. "You okay sis?"

"There's something I've been thinking Peter"

"What is it?" he questioned, wanting to make her feel better.

"Do you think maybe we should open Mother's gift?"

Peter was surprised and struck by her question. "I don't know Tina. We haven't opened that present for over thirty years,"

"I think it's time we did brother. We must try to move on," Tina's face turned depressed as she saw how devasted her twin was. "We have each other brother. And we have our companions and our friends,"

Meredith cooed and licked Peter's cheek. Peter saw the hope of relief in his sister's identical eyes…and a small simple smile that reminded him of her devotion to him. He smiled back with that exact devotion. She was right. It was time.


	19. Off into the Stars

**Off into the stars:**

The Guardians entered the Milano. Whilst Gamora, Drax, Rocket settled down in their new quarters on the ship, Peter and Tina went to their shared quarters and pulled the drawer containing their presents. They slouched down on Tina's bed, nestled together.

Peter opened the letter and held it in front of their eyes. Together they read the message of their mother's last words in their heads.

 _Dear Peter and Tina,_

 _I know these last few months have been hard for the both of you. But I'm going to a better place. And I will be okay. And I will always be with you two. No matter how much you guys will miss me, I will always be watching over._

 _Promise me you will look after each other. You need each other. More than you will ever know._

 _You both are the lights of my life._

 _My precious son and daughter._

 _My little Star-Lord and Star-Lady._

 _Love mum_

Those words brought tears and comfort to their eyes. Peter put the letter aside.

"Shall we?" Tina asked.

"Together," Peter answered.

Both pulled the ribbons and then unravelled the wrapping paper. Their hearts simultaneously lifted, the heavy feeling they had felt for over thirty years faded away. There were two new tapes. One called AWESOME MIX VOL 1 and AWESOME MIX VOL 2.

"New mixes," Tina breathed out. "New songs?"

"Shall we play one?" Peter asked.

Tina nodded as a single tear escape her eye. "Let's play on your one first,"

Peter loaded it into their record player and pressed the go button. A jolly rock song started playing.

 _Listen baby, ain't no mountain high  
Ain't no valley low, ain't no river wide enough baby  
If you need me call me no matter where you are  
No matter how far don't worry baby  
Just call my name I'll be there in a hurry  
You don't have to worry_

The twins started to enjoy it. It felt wonderful to listen to new songs, new lyrics, new upbeats. This was the medicine to grief.

Peter twisted to head to an approaching Gamora. He gave a little slight grin in her direction.

Gamora actually smiled and started nodding her head to the beat of the music. Tina made no move or glare at Peter. Instead she just smiled at him and Gamora.

* * *

On their ship in the main quarters, Ravangers were drinking and dancing. They ecstatically giggled and fell on one another in a drunken state. Warran was on one side of the room sipping some water. His brother was seated on his captain's chair. Yondu didn't laugh or sing with his crew. Instead he just stared at the orb that the twins had given him. He couldn't help but feel there was something suspicious about that moment that they had given it up to him. They didn't give another complain. Nor did they offer something instead. He opened the orb.

There was no Power Stone. There was only a little troll doll. He smirked and giggled. _Those twins are too smart._

Warran noticed his grin from the other side. He stalked towards him.

"It seems we've taught those twins too much brother," Yondu said.

"Shall we go after them?" Warran asked.

Yondu was silent for a while. "No," was his unexpected answer. "We wait…for now,"

He stood up and walked away, not being noticed by anyone else.

Warren stared darkly in Yondu's direction.

* * *

Nova Prime locked the orb containing the real Power Stone inside a special vault, guarded by over thirty of her best Nova guards.

* * *

Denarian Dey entered his house and was greeted by the running of his pink daughter. Then by his pink mother who kissed his cheek. He smiled as he affectionately held his family close.

* * *

The Guardians except Gamora were buckled up in their seats. Peter and Tina were in the captain's seats with Meredith and Orlins curled around their shoulders. Drax nodded his head to the upbeat of the music. Rocket smiled as he relaxed in his seat. His once-heavy heart lifted when he saw the short stem of Groot's twin come to life with eyes and arms. Groot was coming back to life.

"So, what we shall do next?" Tina asked everyone.

"Something good," Peter thought up options. "Something bad?"

He shared a gleaming glance with his twin. She shared the same hysteric as him.

"Bit of both?" they both jinxed together.

"We'll follow your lead…Star-Lord and Star-Lady," Gamora addressed.

The twins took another hysteric glance at each other. "Bit of both!" both jinxed again.

Tina pressed a lever and the Milano's engines roared. Peter steered it around and after he aimed its head upwards, he pressed a button and…

 _Whoosh!_ The Milano was gone, off on into space for another adventure. The Guardians would always fight to protect the Galaxy that they had sworn to. This was their calling now. Because if nobody could protect the Galaxy…who could?

* * *

 **It was so fun to write this. So sorry you all had to wait a long time. I've been busy. Please send me any ideas for any other of my future Marvel stories and i would consider using them. Get piped up for the next Marvel Story. Or The Quill Twins Volume 2!**

 **Happy New Year by the way.**


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